The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth disclosed that the ship that experienced an explosion in the Gulf of Oman is owned by Israeli businessman Rami Ungar, who is the owner of RAY SHIPPING.
The report indicated that the ship, which flies the flag of the Bahamas, is named "Helios Ray." Ungar stated to the newspaper that he does not currently know exactly what happened to the ship, but he mentioned that there were holes found in it. He added that Israeli security will investigate the matter to uncover the truth behind the incident, anticipating that the explosion could have been caused by "mines or missiles."
Ungar expressed readiness for the possibility that the attack on the ship was intentional or targeted, saying, "I do not believe it was a deliberate attack on a ship owned by Israelis. However, there have been similar incidents in the Gulf. I think they are part of the conflict between Iran and the United States, which is why they target Western vessels."
Earlier today, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced that a ship was subjected to an explosion in the Gulf of Oman yesterday (Thursday), stating in a notice, "Investigations are ongoing, the ship is secure, and the crew is safe." The British maritime trade operations agency added that "investigations are ongoing, the ship is secure, and the crew is safe," but did not provide details on the cause of the explosion. It indicated that "ships sailing in the area are advised to exercise caution."
Maritime security company Driade Global noted that the ship in question is the "MV Helios Ray," a car carrier owned by Helios Ray Limited, an Israeli company registered in the Isle of Man. According to Driade Global, "the ship was en route to Singapore from Dammam in Saudi Arabia."
A spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Transport stated that "the ministry has no information about an Israeli ship being hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman." Meanwhile, shipping data from Refinitiv showed that the ship is managed by Stamco Ship Management, which declined to comment on the matter.
The U.S. Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, announced that it is "aware of the incident and is monitoring the situation." For its part, the newspaper "Israel Hayom" noted that "the ship, which flies the Bahamas flag but is owned by Israelis, experienced an explosion, the circumstances of which remain unclear." Additionally, the official Israeli channel "Kan" reported that the ship owned by businessman Rami Ungar, which was carrying a shipment of cars, was about to enter the Arabian Sea when it suddenly turned and began navigating toward the Strait of Hormuz, without further details.
