Iran’s IRGC claims attack on MSC Ishyka near Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed a drone strike on the feeder containership MSC Ishyka in the Strait of Hormuz region, The Maritime Telegraph reports. Iranian officials said the vessel was targeted over alleged links to Israel and caught fire after the attack, but no independent maritime authorities have confirmed the incident.

 

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has not issued any report on the case. AIS tracking data adds further uncertainty: a ship broadcasting as MSC Ishyka III, identified in Equasis as MSC Ishyka, was recently shown berthed in Manama, Bahrain, with irregular signal gaps recorded since late February.

 

The 34,000-dwt feeder vessel, built in 1997, operates regional liner services between India, the Arabian Gulf and East Africa. It has been managed by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) since 2014 and is owned by Pasithea Oceanway Ltd. There is no verified evidence linking the ship directly to Israeli ownership or operations beyond routine commercial port calls.

 

In a separate development, another container vessel alongside at Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates reported projectile splashes nearby. No injuries or damage followed.

 

The reported strike claim comes as security risks rise across the Gulf region. Several confirmed attacks on merchant shipping in recent weeks have increased pressure on vessels operating around and beyond the Strait of Hormuz.

 

Picture: MSC