 In 1947, British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) launched Operation Embarrass, a clandestine operation to blow up ships in Italian ports that were preparing to take Jewish refugees to Palestine, by having operatives attach limpet mines to the hulls of vessels.From summer 1947 to early 1948, five such attacks were carried out, destroying one ship and damaging two others.Two other British mines were discovered before they detonated.