Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed it had targeted the Panama-flagged container ship MSC Sariska V with a cruise missile in what it described as retaliation for an earlier attack on an Iranian vessel near the coast of Oman.
The claim comes as a cargo ship was hit by a powerful explosion off Iraq’s coast on Monday, raising questions about what exactly happened in one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors. While Iranian media linked the blast to a missile strike, the cause of the incident remains under investigation.
According to the IRGC, the operation was carried out as a direct response to a previous offensive against an Iranian vessel in waters near Oman. Iranian media reports identified the ship as the MSC Sariska V and described it as a US-owned vessel.
Explosion reported southeast of Umm Qasr
Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a merchant vessel had been struck on its starboard side about 40 nautical miles southeast of Umm Qasr in Iraq. The impact was followed by a large explosion, the maritime security body said.
However, UKMTO did not identify the vessel involved and said investigations were underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The organisation said all crew members were safe and no injuries were reported. The vessel was also able to continue towards its next destination. UKMTO added that it had received no reports of environmental damage linked to the explosion.
Conflicting accounts emerge over cause of blast
Subsequent reports identified the ship as the Panama-flagged MSC Sariska V. According to Gulf News, citing Iraq’s Alsumaria News, the vessel experienced an explosion in Iraqi territorial waters near buoy number five after completing cargo unloading operations at Umm Qasr Port.
Those reports, however, appeared to contradict the IRGC’s version of events.
Preliminary findings cited by Alsumaria News suggested the explosion may have been caused by an internal mechanical fault rather than an external strike. A security source quoted by the broadcaster reportedly said investigators had not found indications that the vessel had been deliberately targeted.
The same report said the damage appeared limited to the ship itself and that there were no casualties among those on board.
With Iranian authorities claiming a missile attack and Iraqi security sources pointing towards a technical malfunction, the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation.