An Israeli-owned ship attacked by 'suspected Iranian drone' in the Indian Ocean

An American defense official says an Israeli billionaire's cargo ship in the Indian Ocean was attacked by a suspected Iranian drone while Israel is at war with Hamas in Gaza. The attack on the 'CMA CGM Symi' on Friday comes as global shipping increasingly finds itself a target in a conflict that could escalate into a regional confrontation—even as a ceasefire has halted hostilities and Hamas exchanges hostages for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. The official, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, stated that the Maltese-flagged ship was targeted by a triangular-shaped Shahed-136 drone while in international waters. Reports indicate that the drone exploded and damaged the ship, but none of its crew were injured. The American official said, 'We continue to closely monitor the situation.' According to the Associated Press, the official refrained from explaining why the U.S. military believed 'Iran was behind this attack.' CMA CGM, a major shipping company based in Marseille, France, had not responded to the incident at the time of this report. However, the Associated Press noted that the crew of the ship behaved as if they believed the vessel was under threat. Based on data from MarineTraffic.com analyzed by the Associated Press, the ship's automatic identification system tracker had been turned off since Tuesday when it left the port of Jebel Ali in Dubai. Normally, ships are required to keep their tracker on for safety reasons, but crews turn them off if they believe they may be targeted. The ship had previously done the same while passing through the Red Sea near Yemen, where Iranian-backed Houthi rebels are based. Last week, the Houthis in Yemen attacked and seized a ship and its crew on suspicion of being Israeli. An American official stated that the Islamic Republic 'likely' played a role in the hijacking in the Red Sea. The Israeli President described the Red Sea hijacking as an attack on Israel and the international order. The Islamic Republic denied involvement in the Houthis' hijacking. A 'British ship' was hijacked by the Houthis; Israel held the Islamic Republic responsible. The U.S. Navy shot down a drone launched from Yemen.