The attack on the Liberian-flagged tanker Pacific Zircon occurred Tuesday night off the coast of Oman, a Middle East-based defense official said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the attack publicly. Pacific Zircon is operated by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, which is a company 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.” An Israeli official, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to discuss undisclosed details of the attack, said it appeared Iran carried out the attack with a Shahed-136 explosive drone. Iran supplied these drones to Russia, which uses them to target infrastructure and civilian targets in Ukraine. “It’s an Iranian attack, there’s a consensus on that in the Israeli intelligence and defense community,” the official said. The Iranian government did not acknowledge the attack on Pacific Zircon. Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Oil prices rose slightly as news of the attack spread, with Brent crude trading above $94 a barrel. 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 U.S. unilaterally withdrew from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers. In 2021, a suspected Iranian drone strike hit the Israel-bound oil tanker Mercer Street off Oman, killing two people on board. It was not immediately clear where the ship 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 the Islamic Republic now has enough enriched uranium to build at least one nuclear weapon if it so chooses, although Tehran insists its program is peaceful. Iran has also lashed out at its perceived enemies abroad amid months of nationwide protests now challenging its theocracy. Torbjorn Soltvedt, an analyst at risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft, said the attack was “not a surprise”. “The risk of attacks against maritime and energy infrastructure in the wider region is increasing mainly because of the lack of progress in US-Iran nuclear diplomacy and Washington’s decision to apply further sanctions pressure on Iran,” he said. “Since 2019, Iran has consistently responded to new US sanctions with covert military action in the region.” “There is not just a growing risk of deterrent attacks against energy infrastructure in the region, but also a growing risk of a wider military confrontation with more serious consequences for global energy markets,” he added. The oil tanker attack also comes just days before the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. While Doha maintains good relations with Tehran, with which it shares a huge offshore gas field, the Israelis will watch the tournament. Iran’s national team will also face Britain and the US in first-round matches, two countries it accuses of fomenting unrest in Iran. ——— Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg and Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report. ——— Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.
