The Japanese vessel "M Star" suffered a large indent and had it's lifeboat and several windows fractures Wednesday 28th July. Speculations regarding what caused the damages to the VLCC have been many and various the latter week, but today, Wednesday 4th August, the terrorist group The Brigades of Abdullah Azzam posted a message on Islamic websites claiming responsibility for the assault.
"Last Wednesday, after midnight, the martyrdom-seeking hero Ayyub al-Taishan ... blew himself up in the Japanese tanker M.Star in the Strait of Hormuz between the United Arab Emirates and Oman", is the message from the websites, according to several media.
Despite the admission from the Abdullah Azzam Brigade, several analysts cast doubt on the belated claim, as this terrorist group has a track record of taking responsibility for attacks also claimed by other organizations. The admission it timed just one day after deadly clashes on the Israeli-Lebanese border and two days after rocket fire on Israeli and Jordanian Red Sea ports and could have been a move to get the global spotlight turned in their direction in order to make tensions bigger, explain analysts.
Other analysts said it would be odd for an al Qaeda-linked group to post a photo and use this particular website if it were not involved. The cause of the incident is being examined by a military specialist hired last week by shipowner Mitsui O.S.K., and as soon as he has finished his work, one will hopefully get closer to the real cause of this mystery incident.