U.S. Blames Iran For Attack On Israeli-Owned Oil Tanker, Says ‘Shahed’ Drone Was Used

Shahed-136 suicide drone taking off during Iranian drone drills. Source: the internet.

The United States has officially blamed Iran for the November 16 drone attack on the Pacific Zircon oil tanker near Oman.

The Pacific Zircon is operated by the Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, which is ultimately owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. The tanker was carrying a shipment of gas oil when it was hit by a drone some 240 kilometers off the coast of Oman. The Eastern Pacific Shipping company said that the attack didn’t result in any injuries or pollution.

In a statement released on November 17, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the tanker was attacked with an Iranian-made “Shahed-series one-way attack drone.”

“This unmanned aerial vehicle attack against a civilian vessel in this critical maritime strait demonstrates, once again, the destabilizing nature of Iranian malign activity in the region” said General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of CENTCOM.

According to the command, multilateral operation led by the British Royal Navy’s HMS Lancaster, including 2 U.S. Navy vessels; Guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans; patrol coastal ship USS Chinook; and a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon patrol craft responded to the scene of the attack.

Israeli officials have already blamed the attack on Iran, claiming that the Pacific Zircon was hit by a Shahed-136 suicide drone.

The Shahed-136, which was developed by Iran’s Shahed Aviation Industries, has a range of around 2,500 kilometers and can carry a warhead weighting 40 kg. The drone is known to be in service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and many of its Middle Eastern allies, including the Houthis (Ansar Allah).

Speaking to the CNN, an Israeli official described the drone attack as “an Iranian provocation in the Gulf” linked to the World Cup in Qatar.

“We see this as an Iranian provocation in the Gulf – it’s not an attack against Israel – it’s the same thing they usually do in the Gulf, trying to disrupt stability and mainly influence World Cup events,” said the Israeli official, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the situation.

It’s worth noting that Iran’s semi-official Nournews agency blamed Israel just a few hours after the attack and said that Tel Aviv wants to create a “charged atmosphere” in the Middle East ahead of the World Cup.

Some observers believe that Iran may have attacked the Israeli-owned tanker in response to the November 8 strikes on the al-Qa’im border crossing between Syria and Iraq. Several Iranian nationals were killed in the strikes, which targeted an Iranian fuel shipment destined for Hezbollah in Lebanon. The strikes were reportedly carried out by Israeli drones.

Any attempt by Israel or the U.S. to respond to the drone attack on the Pacific Zircon could lead to a limited confrontation with Iran.

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