Explosion in the Red Sea has damaged an Iranian spy ship

Iran's foreign ministry reported an attack on the Iranian-flagged vessel Saviz in the Red Sea on Wednesday. The Saviz has long been anchored off the coast of Yemen as part of a mission to "provide maritime security along shipping lines and fight pirates," according to Iran.," but many defense analysts believe it could also serve as a base of operations for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 

Satellite photo from Oct 2020 cargo ship Saviz in the red sea 
      Photo: planet labs inc

"On Tuesday around 0600 civil times, [Saviz] was slightly damaged in an explosion near the coasts of Djibouti in the Red Sea," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh confirmed on Wednesday. "Its origins and causes are being researched.       

The IRGC-affiliated news outlet Tasnim identified the blast as a mine attack, but no one has been accused of involvement by official Iranian media.

According to an American official, Israel has notified the US government that Israeli forces attacked the Saviz. The vessel was hit below the waterline around 0730 hours Tuesday, according to the official.

The United States Central Command has confirmed that no US forces were involved in the strike.

 

Satellite view 

The attack occurred on the same day that Iranian diplomats began indirect talks with the United States and five other world powers about resuming the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. Iran's lead negotiator, Abbas Araghchi, who was instrumental in establishing the JCPOA in 2015, described the initial meeting as "constructive."