Iran behind drone strike on Israeli-owned tanker, US says
Drone debris recovered from the MV Pacific Zircon belonged to an Iranian-made Shahed drone, the US military said today.
Iran was behind the drone attack on an Israeli-owned commercial diesel tanker in the Gulf of Oman last night, the US government said today, echoing statements by Israeli officials.
“Upon review of the available information, we are confident that Iran likely conducted this attack using a UAV [drone],” the Biden administration’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.
Examination of the drone debris aboard the MV Pacific Zircon revealed it had come from an Iranian-made one-way attack drone of the Shahed series, the US military said.
Israeli officials were cited earlier today in reports as saying the vessel was targeted by a Shahed-136. No one was reported hurt in the attack and no fuel spilled, the ship’s owner, Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, said following the incident. The firm is owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer.
