Israel-owned ship damaged in blast docks in Dubai

An Israeli-owned cargo ship that suffered a mysterious explosion in the Gulf of Oman came to Dubai's port for repairs on Sunday.

The MV Helios Ray was seen at dry dock facilities, days after the blast revived security concerns in Mideast waterways amid heightened tensions with Iran.

Friday's blast hit as the ship was sailing from the Saudi port Dammam out of the Gulf of Oman, forcing it to turn to Dubai for inspection.

The Helios Ray had discharged cars at various ports in the Persian Gulf before making its way out of the Middle East toward Singapore.

While the crew was unharmed, the ship sustained two holes on its port side and two on its starboard side just above the waterline, according to US officials.

From a distance, Associated Press journalists could not immediately see any damage on Sunday, although the dock blocked the view down to the waterline.

The Bahamian-flagged roll-on, roll-off vehicle cargo vessel was anchored near Dubai’s storied floating hotel, the Queen Elizabeth 2.

An Emirati coast guard vessel was seen sailing behind the ship, with Dubai police and Emirati armed forces vehicles parked nearby.

Emirati officials did not immediately acknowledge or respond to requests for comment on the vessel docking in the country.

The incident recalled a string of attacks on foreign oil tankers in 2019 that the US navy blamed on Iran.

Tehran denied any role in those suspected assaults, which occurred near the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil chokepoint.

The Israeli ambassador to the United States and the United Nations alleged on Sunday that the explosion bore the hallmarks of other Iranian attacks.

Iran's hard-line Kayhan daily alleged the ship was “possibly" on an “espionage” mission in the region, without offering any evidence to support the claim.

The Sunday report speculated the ship may have been "trapped in an ambush by a branch of resistance axis”, referring to Iranian proxies in the region.