The Israeli government is blaming Iran for an attack this week on an Israeli-operated tanker off Oman, urging the international community to come up with a harsh response to the incident, which killed at least two of the vessel’s crew.
The Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has reportedly laid the blame for the incident on Tehran after discussing the attack with his British counterpart Dominic Raab late on Friday.
Iranian media confirm that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards stand behind the attack on the Mercer Street oil tanker, owned by an Israeli company, in response to an Israeli attack on the Dabaa airport in central Syria, south of #Homs.1/8#Israel #Iran #IRGC #IDF #Syria #Hezbullah pic.twitter.com/OnG9qemWpM
— Eva J. Koulouriotis – إيفا كولوريوتي (@evacool_) July 30, 2021
“Iran is not just an Israeli problem, but an exporter of terrorism, destruction and instability that harms us all. The world must not be silent in the face of Iranian terrorism that also harms freedom of shipping,” Lapid said in a statement.
The Liberian-flagged tanker Mercer Street, operated by the Israel-based Zodiac Maritime company, came under attack late on Thursday. Initially reported as a piracy incident, the assault killed two crewmembers – a British and a Romanian national.
Gantz's office said he will fly out to meet French counterpart Florence Parly for talks about Lebanon's governance crisis and Iran's nuclear diplomacy https://t.co/477WdjDctE
— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) July 27, 2021
Despite the Israeli allegations, it is unclear what exactly happened to the vessel, though Israeli media, citing unnamed senior officials, claim that it was attacked by drones.
Israel blames Iran for attack on tanker that killed Briton and Romanian https://t.co/FUrjuW6BNH
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) July 30, 2021
Iran has remained silent on the incident, neither denying nor confirming any involvement. Tehran-based Arabic-language broadcaster Al Alam TV, however, cited “sources in the resistance axis” to report that the strike on the Israeli-managed ship was a response to recent strikes on Dabaa airfield in Syria, used both by Syria’s military and by its ally, Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement.
Israel has repeatedly targeted Iranian positions in Syria in recent years. Additionally, Israel is blamed for various terrorist attacks targeting Iranian territories and ships in the Gulf.
(PC, RT, Social Media)
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