An oil tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire was hit by a bomb-carrying drone off the coast of Oman amid rising tensions with Iran, an official told The Associated Press. The attack took place on Tuesday night off the coast of Oman, the Middle East-based defense official said. The official spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the attack publicly. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British military agency in the region that monitors shipping, told the AP: “We are aware of one incident and it is currently being investigated.” The official identified the attacked vessel as the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Pacific Zircon. This tanker is operated by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, which is ultimately owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. In a statement, Eastern Pacific Shipping said the Pacific Zircon, which was carrying gas oil, was “hit by a missile” about 150 miles (240 kilometers) off the coast of Oman. “We are in contact with the vessel and there are no reports of injuries or pollution. All crew are safe and accounted for,” the company said. “There is some minor damage to the vessel’s hull, but no cargo leakage or water ingress.” A call to the Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi was not returned. Israel’s prime minister’s office and defense ministry declined to comment. Although no one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, suspicion immediately fell on Iran. Tehran and Israel have been engaged in a protracted shadow war in the wider Middle East, with some drone attacks targeting Israeli-linked ships traveling in the region. The United States also blamed Iran for a series of attacks off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in 2019. Tehran had then begun ramping up its nuclear program after the US unilaterally withdrew from its nuclear deal with world powers. In 2021, a suspected Iranian drone strike hit the Israeli-bound oil tanker Mercer Street off Oman, killing two people on board. Iran’s state media did not immediately acknowledge the attack on the Pacific Zircon. It was not immediately clear where the boat was Wednesday. Satellite tracking data late Tuesday provided by MarineTraffic.com put the vessel deep in the Arabian Sea after leaving the port of Sohar, Oman. After the collapse of the Iran nuclear deal, non-proliferation experts warn that Tehran now has enough enriched uranium to build at least one nuclear weapon, although Tehran insists its program is peaceful. The Iranian government has also accused countries it considers hostile states of meddling in Iran’s internal affairs amid nationwide anti-government protests that have continued since September.
