Iranian attack on an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman • US report: Saudi Crown Prince responsible for assassination of journalist Hashukaji
An explosion on a ship in the Gulf of Oman
Photo:
EP (Archive)
An Israeli-owned cargo ship was damaged in an explosion in the Gulf of Oman
The Reuters news agency reported last night (Friday) that an explosion occurred on Thursday evening on a cargo ship owned by Israeli businessman Rami Unger in the Gulf of Oman.
According to the report, the ship and its crew are in good condition, and no casualties were reported.
Dreid Global estimates that this is the activity of the Iranian army, which has already attacked ships in the area in 2019.
The ship, "MV Helios Ray", which carries the flag of the Bahamas, but according to the marine security company "Dried Global" is owned by an Israeli company registered in the Isle of Man, was on its way to Singapore with a vehicle in its belly.
Biden: "Ben Salman is responsible for Hashukaji's murder"
White House spokeswoman Jen Saki last night held a press conference aboard Air Force One, addressing government policy in the Middle East in general and Iran in particular.
In addition, the spokeswoman referred to the American attack in Syria that took place at night - as a result of which one terrorist operative was killed.
Saki made it clear that President Biden has no intention at this stage to lift or ease further sanctions on Iran after last week the administration lifted several sanctions as a gesture of goodwill towards the Islamic Republic.
However, the spokeswoman clarified that the new administration is ready and open to dialogue with Tehran.
The spokeswoman also referred to the murder of journalist Jamal Khushkji at the Saudi embassy in Turkey in 2018, and accused Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman of involvement in the incident.
According to a U.S. report prepared during Trump's presidency but remains confidential to this day, the regent has approved the action against the journalist.
The American assessment stems from Ben Salman's involvement in the decision - making process on the subject, the involvement of his associates and his attempts to silence dissenting voices in the kingdom.
However, according to the report it is not clear whether Ben Salman knew in advance that the operation would end in the death of the Saudi journalist.
Following the publication of the report, the United States announced the imposition of sanctions against 76 Saudi officials including the former deputy head of Saudi intelligence and the rapid intervention unit in the kingdom. However, it is estimated that no direct sanctions will be imposed on Ben Salman.
Galilee landscape: A woman was found lifeless
The body of a 69-year-old woman was found today on a street in the city of Nof Hagalil.
Police investigators who arrived at the scene, found the woman lifeless, opened an investigation and began collecting findings.
Two of her sons who lived with her in the apartment near where she was found were arrested.
First, a passerby who saw her body called MDA teams, who determined her death and reported it to the police. Investigators also collected testimony from the person who reported finding the body to MDA.
One of the deceased's sons has been released from prison in recent months, after serving 20 months in prison for assaulting his mother while he was in prison.
Simultaneously with the arrest of the boys, aged 36 and 42, the suspicion was also investigated that the woman, who apparently suffered from severe memory problems, fell and was hit in the head.
Report: The Russians searched for the remains of Eli Cohen in Syria
A few days ago, the Russian army searched for the remains of Israeli spy Eli Cohen in the cemetery in the al-Yarmouk refugee camp in the capital, Damascus, the Arab newspaper Al-Rai al-Yum, which is published in London, reported today.
No confirmation from another source was received for the report.
According to the report, the Russians are making great efforts to locate Cohen's remains and are putting pressure on members of the Assad regime to yield information regarding his burial place.
However, the paper claimed, Cohen's burial place is apparently unknown to regime officials themselves, as the remains were transferred under the regime of former Syrian dictator Hafez al-Assad, and all senior officials involved in the transfer of the dead died.
Due to one patient: Closure in New Zealand
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Arden announced today that the country's largest city, Auckland, will go into a one - week closure starting tomorrow, after one case of Corona virus was registered in the city.
The source of the infection is unknown, and the city fears infection in the community and other cases.
The rest of the state has been moved to "Level 2 restrictions," which would ban gatherings and seating in restaurants.
20 times larger than Manhattan: A huge glacier cut off from Antarctica
Climate change: A
huge 1,270 square kilometer glacier broke off the Brant shelf in Antarctica yesterday, after years of deepening cracks in the area. The glacier is similar in size to the city of London and 20 times larger than the city of Manhattan.
Large cracks in the ice in this part of Antarctica were first discovered a decade ago, and since then scientists have been following developments in the region.
During January, the crack deepened by about a mile with each passing day, until yesterday, it opened hundreds of feet in a matter of hours and the glacier broke off.
