Suspected drone attack: Oil tanker shelled off Oman coast

The Pacific Zircon oil tanker capsized off the coast of Oman. No one got hurt. The tanker belongs to an Israeli billionaire. It is still not clear who is behind the attack.

An oil tanker was “hit by a projectile” off the coast of Oman. This was announced by the operating company, Eastern Pacific Shipping. The “Pacific Zircon”, laden with gas oil, received minor damage. The crew was not injured, and there was no cargo left from the ship’s tanks.

Eastern Pacific Shipping is owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. Three maritime sources told Reuters news agency that a drone attacked the tanker. An Israeli official told the dpa news agency that Iran was responsible for the attack and that it used the Shaheed-136 drone.

America has also blamed Iran for this attack.

The offices of the Israeli Prime Minister and Defense Minister declined to comment on the incident. America also blamed Iran for this attack. As far as we know, Iran used an unmanned aerial vehicle, said Jack Sullivan, national security adviser to US President Joe Biden. Sullivan said drones are increasingly being used by Iran and its proxies in the Middle East.

Drone attacks on tankers are already expected in 2021

A British military organization that monitors shipping in the area told the AP news agency it was aware of the incident and was investigating. The Iranian newspaper “Nournews” in turn blamed Israel for the attack.

The incident comes at a time of rising tensions between the West and Iran. In 2019, the US blamed Iran for a series of attacks on tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. At the time, Tehran began ramping up its nuclear program after the US withdrew from an international deal limiting it.

In July 2021, a suspected drone strike hit a petroleum products tanker managed by an Israeli company off the coast of Oman. Iran has denied allegations of responsibility.