Jerusalem February 19 2023: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday blamed Iran for an attack on an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf.
The incident “harms freedom of international shipping,” Netanyahu told ministers at a weekly cabinet meeting according to a text message.
BBC in Farsi reported on Friday that a Liberian-flagged ship operated by Zodiac Maritime Ltd., a company owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, was attacked by Iranian drones on Feb. 10, but the ship continued its voyage and its crew was unharmed.
Eletson, the Greek shipping services company, confirmed an incident involving a vessel it was managing. The company said that the Campo Square was hit by an airborne object while in the Arabian Sea, approximately 300 nautical miles off the coasts of India and Oman.
“We can confirm that both the vessel and crew are safe,” the e-mailed statement said. “There is minor damage to the vessel.”
Netanyahu’s noting of the attack was the first Israeli response to the BBC report. In 2021, Iran and Israel traded multiple accusations of shipping attacks in the Persian Gulf, and Friday’s report was the first in months and may indicate the start of a further rise in tensions.
The Israeli leader also said Iran attacked an American base in Syria on Feb. 18. The Syrian Arab News Agency reported early Sunday that five people, including a Syrian soldier, were killed when Israel carried out missile strikes on residential districts in Damascus.
“Iran is not halting its aggressive actions,” Netanyahu said.
