A tanker belonging to an Israeli billionaire's fleet has been attacked in the Gulf of Oman. The shipping company said the damage was only minor. In addition, no oil was spilled. Israel speaks of an attack with an Iranian drone.
An oil tanker has been attacked off the coast of Oman. The ship was hit by a projectile, said the operator Eastern Pacific Shipping from Singapore, without commenting on the type of attack. The fuselage was slightly damaged. But no oil escaped. The crew was unharmed, said the shipping company, which belongs to Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. In shipping circles it was said that the tanker was probably attacked by a drone.
The US Navy confirmed there was an incident involving a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, but gave no details. Commander Timothy Hawkins said the US Fifth Fleet was monitoring the incident.
An Israeli government official said Iran was behind the attack. A Shahed 136 drone was used, which Iran had already made available to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine. An Israeli official said the attack originated in Iran but was not directly related to the Israeli businessman - or Israel. The incident was "part of Iran's efforts to destabilize the region," the official said. It is a "provocation" ahead of the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.
The Iranian news portal Nournews, which is linked to the highest security body in the Islamic country, blamed Israel for the attack, deliberately a few days before the start of the soccer World Cup in Qatar.
The tanker left Oman on Monday and is to bring oil to the Argentine capital Buenos Aires for further processing. The Gulf of Oman connects to the Persian Gulf. The most important shipping routes for the world's oil supply pass through these seas. According to the ship tracking service vesselfinder.com, the freighter is sailing under the Liberian flag.
There have been repeated attacks on tankers in the region's waters in recent years, even at times of heightened regional tensions with Iran. In July 2021, for example, a tanker belonging to an Israeli shipping company was attacked by a drone off the coast of Oman. At the time, Iran denied allegations of involvement.
