JERUSALEM: Israeli defence officials were checking whether Iranian forces were behind a possible attack on a cargo ship under partial Israeli ownership on Saturday on its way from Jeddah to the United Arab Emirates, Israel's N12 Television News reported.

The crew were not hurt and the ship, possibly hit by a missile, was not badly damaged and continued on its journey after the incident, N12 said, citing unnamed sources within Israel's defence establishment.

Lebanese pro-Iranian TV channel Al Mayadeen had reported earlier that the ship was attacked in the Indian Ocean.

N12 said the vessel, the Tyndall, was owned by Zodiac Maritime Ltd. Zodiac Maritime's website says the CSAV Tyndall is a container ship that sails under a Liberian flag.

A source familiar with Zodiac Maritime's fleet said the company had sold the CSAV Tyndall several months ago and that no such incident had taken place involving any of its vessels, they said.

Ship-tracking data from Refinitiv Eikon showed a vessel called the CSAV Tyndall that was last docked in Jeddah was off the coast of Dubai.

A UAE government spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Israeli officials had no immediate comment.