Ship tied to Israel billionaire reportedly attacked off Oman

DUBAI – An lipid tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire reportedly came nether onslaught disconnected the seashore of Oman successful the Arabian Sea, authorities said Friday, arsenic details astir the incidental remained few.

The onslaught Thursday nighttime targeted Liberian-flagged lipid tanker Mercer Street conscionable northeast of the Omani land of Masirah. The determination is implicit 300 kilometers (185 miles) southeast of Oman’s capital, Muscat.

Israeli officials did not instantly admit the attack, but it comes amid heightened tensions betwixt it and Iran arsenic negotiations stay stalled implicit Tehran's atomic woody with satellite powers.

Other Israel-linked ships person been targeted successful caller months arsenic good amid a shadiness warfare betwixt the 2 nations, with Israeli officials blaming the Islamic Republic for the assaults. Israel meantime has been suspected successful a bid of large attacks targeting Iran's atomic program.

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An little archetypal connection from the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said an probe was underway into the incident, which it described arsenic happening precocious Thursday nighttime

The connection did not elaborate, different to accidental that it suspected the onslaught did not impact piracy. Earlier connected Thursday, the British subject radical had said it was investigating different unexplained incidental successful the aforesaid area, but it did not elaborate.

London-based Zodiac Maritime, portion of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer's Zodiac Group, issued a connection saying the vessel was the Liberian-flagged lipid tanker Mercer Street and was Japanese owned. The British Defense Ministry earlier misidentified the ship's owners.

Zodiac Maritime described the onslaught arsenic “piracy,” without elaborating.

“At the clip of the incidental the vas was successful the bluish Indian Ocean, traveling from Dar es Salaam to Fujairah with nary cargo onboard,” the connection from Zodiac Maritime said.

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Satellite tracking information from MarineTraffic.com showed the vas had been adjacent wherever British officials said the onslaught occurred.

Oman did not admit an onslaught and officials determination did not respond to requests for comment. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which patrols the Mideast, did not respond to a petition for comment.

The incidental comes amid heightened tensions implicit Iran's tattered atomic woody and arsenic negotiations implicit restoring the accord person stalled successful Vienna. Since then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord successful 2018, determination person been a bid of vessel attacks successful the portion suspected to person been carried retired by Tehran.

Iranian media quoted overseas reports connected the attack, but did not elaborate.

This is the 2nd clip this period a vessel tied to Ofer seemingly has been targeted. In aboriginal July, the Liberian-flagged instrumentality vessel CSAV Tyndall, erstwhile tied to Zodiac Maritime, suffered an unexplained detonation connected committee portion successful the bluish India Sea, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.

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