ANTI-IRAN ACTION AT SEA? - AT 2:41 P.M. ET:  From the Jerusalem Post:

An Iranian vessel en route to Sudan in order to deliver weapons to Hamas in the Gaza Strip was attacked by an Israeli or American ship and destroyed, according to a report Sunday in the Egyptian weekly Al-Usbua.

The report quoted sources in Khartoum as saying that all of the crew members who were on board were killed in the incident, which occurred in the past two weeks.

"The ship was destroyed at sea near the Sudanese coast," the sources said, adding that the vessel's cargo was to be led through the Sudanese desert and the Sinai Peninsula.

COMMENT:  Very sketchy, but could grow into a major story. Other reports say the ship was torpedoed.  My guess is that the action was taken by Israel, which has diesel-powered submarines, assuming the attack was carried out by sub.  Of course, it could have also been carried out by a surface ship equipped with torpedo tubes.  Both the U.S. and Israel have that capability.

I'm guessing Israel because I doubt the U.S. would launch a torpedo attack on an Iranian ship as just as it's trying to get talks with Iran going, and only to disrupt arms going to Gaza.  But it's just a guess.

April 26, 2009