Tehran’s purported strike, according to a senior Pentagon officer, threatens regional stability.
An Iranian oil ship was attacked by a drone on Wednesday off the coast of Oman, according to a top US military officer.
An Israeli official, who was reported by CNN, echoed this assertion and connected the event to the World Cup in Qatar, which is set to begin this week.
Several media sites said that on Tuesday, a drone struck the oil tanker Pacific Zircon, which is registered in Liberia.
Israeli millionaire Idan Ofer owns the business Eastern Pacific Shipping, which is in charge of operating the ship.
The ship was “struck by a missile,” the business said in a statement, adding that it only suffered minor damage and that no one was hurt.
An Israeli official informed CNN that the Pacific Zircon was targeted by a “HESA Shahed 136 self-destructing drone,” however the firm chose not to place responsibility.
According to the person, who was reported by CNN, “We perceive this as an Iranian provocation in the Gulf. It’s not an assault against Israel. It’s the same thing they normally do in the Gulf, attempting to disturb stability and particularly affect World Cup activities.”
The Qatari city will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup from November 20 to December 18.
This incident shows “the destabilizing nature of Iranian malign activity in the region,” said General Michael Kurilla, commander of US Central Command. The US Central Command reportedly claimed that the investigation had revealed that the vessel had been struck by “a Shahed-series one-way attack drone.”
However, nobody has admitted guilt for the attack as of yet.
After Athens had done the same to an Iranian-flagged vessel, Iran revealed on Wednesday that it had released two Greek tankers that had been impounded in the Persian Gulf in May.
The Greek government seized the Iranian ship in April on the grounds that it had broken US sanctions against Tehran.
Meanwhile, Iran had detained the tankers for “violations in Gulf waters” that were not specifically stated.
CNN /RT
