London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Iranian ‘spy ship’ damaged in ‘attack’ along major Red Sea shipping route

Iranian ‘spy ship’ damaged in ‘attack’ along major Red Sea shipping route

An Iranian ship that Israel and Saudi Arabia have accused of acting as a base for Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces has been damaged, reportedly by a mine, in the Red Sea waters between Yemen and Eritrea.

State-owned Saudi broadcaster Al-Hadath TV reported the attack on Tuesday, citing an unnamed source calling it a “likely” Israeli operation off the coast of Eritrea. The vessel was identified as the Saviz, which Israel and Saudi Arabia have long accused of being a “forward base” for the IRGC in the area.


Some Israeli accounts mentioned a “torpedo” that damaged the vessel. The semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim confirmed that there had been an attack, describing it as “[limpet] mines placed on the hull of the ship.”

The Saviz “has been stationed in the Red Sea for the past few years to support Iranian commandos who are sent to escort commercial vessels,” Tasnim reported, noting that official Tehran has not issued a statement yet.


According to the US Naval Institute, the Saviz had “barely moved” for the past three years, and is suspected of providing surveillance of maritime traffic coming through the Red Sea. This is a major shipping route from Asia and the Middle East to Europe, via the Suez Canal that was recently blocked by the stuck container ship Ever Given.

Many world navies have maintained a presence in the area, as it has been one of the favorite hunting grounds for pirates operating from the anarchy-stricken parts of Somalia.

Tuesday’s incident comes as Iranian diplomats met with Russian, Chinese, German, French and British envoys in Vienna to discuss the fate of the 2015 nuclear deal. The US was absent from the meeting, even though the Biden administration has hinted at rejoining the deal the Trump administration unilaterally repudiated in 2018.

The alleged attack on the Saviz also comes amid a “shadow war” on the high seas between Israel and Iran over the past several years that has ramped up in recent months. The Iranian cargo vessel Shahr-e Kord was damaged in the Mediterranean in mid-March. Israel said that the freighter Lori, sailing from Tanzania to India, was struck by a missile in the Arabian sea two weeks ago. In late February, the Israeli-owned vessel Helios Ray suffered an explosion in the Gulf of Oman. Both Tehran and Tel Aviv have accused each other of the attacks, and denied any responsibility for them.

An investigation by the liberal Israeli newspaper Haaretz in March claimed that Israel and Iran have been involved in “economic warfare” for the past two and a half years, with Tel Aviv inflicting “billions of dollars” in damage on Tehran by attacking “several dozen” oil tankers.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×