A “Jaguar S” ship has kept the Lebanese authorities busy for the past few days since it anchored off the coast of Zahrani, South Lebanon.
On Saturday, the mysterious ship, arriving from Greece, raised suspicions when it anchored in Lebanese waters, even though it was expected by neither official sources nor private companies.
The vessel was revealed to be carrying a fuel shipment, but its final destination was a mystery at the time of its arrival, as was the reason behind it entering Lebanon.
The ship was accordingly seized by Lebanese Customs while an investigation was launched for answers.
It was later discovered, according to local media, that its intended final destination was Syria, and that its owner was a Syrian company.
However, it remains in custody, reportedly until the investigation reveals why the ship arrived specifically in Zahrani and not anywhere else, like in the North which borders Syria.
It’s noteworthy that the shipping agent responsible for the ship requested that it be exported to Turkey, but the Lebanese judiciary refused to do so in order to prevent Lebanon from being subjected to sanctions, as per Asharq Al-Awsat.
It’s expected that Lebanon will not allow the ship to enter, nor to head to Turkey but, instead, will return it to Greece, with the condition that those responsible for it guarantee that they won’t sail it anywhere else after its release.
As to why the ship raised fear of sanctions, this is because its alleged final destination is Syria, and sending it to Turkey would obviously mean sending it to Syria indirectly, which would probably make Lebanon liable for sanctions under the Caesar Act.
*Photo used for illustrative purposes only
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