The USS Liberty incident was an attack on a United States Navy technical research ship,

USS Liberty, by Israeli jet fighter planes, followed shortly by motor torpedo boats, on
June 8, 1967, during the on-going Six-Day War. The combined air and sea attack killed
34 crew members (naval officers, seamen, two Marines, and a civilian), wounded 171
crew members, and severely damaged the ship. At the time, the ship was in international
waters north of the Sinai Peninsula, about 25.5 nmi (29.3 mi; 47.2 km) northwest from
the Egyptian city of Arish.[1]
Both the Israeli and US governments conducted inquiries into the incident, and issued
reports, which concluded that the attack was a mistake, due to Israeli confusion about the
identity of the USS Liberty. Some US diplomats, veterans and intelligence officials who
were involved in the incident continue to dispute these official findings, saying the Israeli
attack on the USS Liberty was not a mistake, and it remains the only major maritime
incident in US history not investigated by the US Congress.[2]
In May 1968, the Israeli government paid US$3,323,500 as full payment on behalf of the
families of the 34 men killed in the attack. In March 1969, Israel paid a further
$3,566,457 in compensation to the men who had been wounded. On 18 December 1980,
Israel agreed to pay $6 million as settlement for the US claim of $7,644,146 for material
damage to the Liberty itself.[3]
On December 17, 1987, the issue was officially closed by the two governments through
an exchange of diplomatic notes.[citation needed]