It could be the latest in a spate of recent episodes involving Iran and Israeli-linked ships.
An oil tanker managed by an Israeli-owned shipping firm was attacked on Thursday night off the coast of Oman, killing two crew members, according to the firm. The attack raised questions of whether it was the latest salvo in a maritime shadow war between Iran and Israel. The Israeli-owned firm, Zodiac Maritime, said that the two crew members killed were from Britain and Romania, and that on Friday afternoon the vessel was sailing under the protection of an American naval escort. The firm provided no further details. The British Defense Ministry said it was investigating reports of an attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman but gave no further details, while the Israeli Army said it did not comment on foreign reports. Zodiac described the attack as “a suspected piracy incident” aboard the Mercer Street, a 200-yard-long tanker, as it sailed to the United Arab Emirates from Tanzania. The ship is owned by a Japanese company and sails under a Liberian flag.
