Iran's IRGC Claims Attack on Israel-Linked Vessel, Sparks Fire
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Tehran, April 4 (NationPress) The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that it successfully struck an Israel-associated vessel using a drone, igniting a fire on board.
The IRGC Navy shared this information via a post on the social media platform X, indicating that the vessel was targeted in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement released on its official news platform, Sepah News, the IRGC verified the attack, asserting that its personnel had aimed at a commercial ship owned by Israel, situated in a port in Bahrain.
The ship, identified as 'MCS Ishika' and operating under a foreign flag, was struck by the IRGC Navy's 'powerful projectiles' at Khalifa Bin Salman Port, marking the 95th phase of assaults aimed at US and Israeli interests in the West Asia region.
As reported by Xinhua, there was no immediate response from Israeli authorities. The IRGC's statement mentioned that Israeli targets in cities such as Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan had been subjected to 'heavy and continuous' strikes by multiple-warhead Qadr missiles.
On the same day, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) disclosed that they had targeted critical infrastructure within Tehran.
Leveraging intelligence, the IDF executed strikes on various defense installations, including an aerial defense site belonging to the IRGC that housed missiles intended for aircraft targeting, as detailed in their statement.
Other facilities targeted included military sites responsible for safeguarding weapons research and development, along with additional locations used for storing ballistic missiles and for weapons production.
The IDF's statement emphasized that these operations were part of an ongoing initiative to inflict substantial damage on Iran's foundational systems.
This escalation follows the incident on Friday when two US military aircraft were downed after coming under fire from Iranian forces. One pilot from the two-seat F-15 was rescued, while the fate of the other remains uncertain, according to Xinhua.
Additionally, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that at least five individuals sustained injuries due to US-Israeli strikes on several petrochemical companies located in Iran's southwestern Khuzestan province.
The affected firms, namely Fajr 1 and 2, Regal, Amirkabir, Bandar Imam, and Buali Sina, were reportedly attacked at 10:47 am local time (0717 GMT) on Saturday.
Valiollah Hayati, Khuzestan's Deputy Governor for security and law enforcement, mentioned that the likelihood of further casualties remains significant.
Moreover, the Shalamcheh border trade terminal in Khorramshahr city also sustained severe damage from the attacks.
The Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Zone, where these companies are located, has been evacuated as a precaution, according to reports.
On February 28, joint attacks by Israel and the United States targeted Tehran and other Iranian cities, resulting in the death of Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military officials and civilians. In retaliation, Iran unleashed waves of missile and drone strikes aimed at Israeli and US assets across the Middle East.