DUBAI: A tanker was hit off the coast of Oman on Tuesday, sustaining minor damage to the hull with no injuries or spillage of the gas oil cargo, Israeli-controlled Eastern Pacific Shipping said on Wednesday and an Israeli official said Iran was responsible.
Three maritime sources told Reuters that a drone was suspected to have attacked the tanker. An Israeli official said Iran was responsible for the attack, using a Shahed-136 drone, the type it has been supplying to Russia for use in Ukraine.
Iran’s Nournews, which is affiliated with the country’s top security body, blamed Israel for the attack and said the “Hebrew-Arab axis” aimed to create a “charged atmosphere” ahead of soccer’s World Cup that starts in Qatar on Sunday.
Eastern Pacific Shipping, which manages the vessel, said it was investigating the incident involving the Pacific Zircon tanker approximately 150 miles off Oman. All crew were safe and accounted for, it said.
“Preliminary reports indicate the vessel...was hit by a projectile,” said the Singapore-based firm, which is controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. “There is some minor damage to the vessel’s hull but no spillage of cargo or water ingress.”
Gulf waters have in recent years seen attacks on tankers that have come at times of heightened regional tensions with Iran. In July 2021, a suspected drone attack hit a petroleum product tanker managed by an Israeli firm off Oman’s coast. Iran denied accusations it was responsible.
According to shipping tracking site MarineTraffic, the Pacific Zircon was last seen off the coast of Liwa, Oman on Monday morning. It departed from Sohar, Oman on Monday afternoon with its destination set as the port of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet said it was aware of an incident in the Gulf of Oman involving a commercial vessel. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said an investigation was taking place after reports of an incident in the Gulf of Oman.
Separately, two sources told Reuters that Greece and Iran reached a deal for the release of two Greek-flagged tankers that had been seized by Tehran in the Gulf in May in response to the confiscation of oil by the United States from an Iranian-flagged tanker in Greece. Ship tracking data showed the vessels underway from Iran.
Tanker hit off Oman, says Israeli-controlled shipping firm
https://arab.news/ntuc6
Tanker hit off Oman, says Israeli-controlled shipping firm
- An Israeli official said Iran was responsible
- They said a Shahed-136 drone, the type Iran has been supplying to Russia for use in Ukraine, had been used
Syrian Democratic Forces withdraws from east of Aleppo
RIYADH: Syrian Democratic Forces have withdrawn from positions east of Aleppo, according to SDF head Mazloum Abdi.
He announced Friday that SDF will withdraw from east of Aleppo at 7 AM local time on Saturday and redeploy them to areas east of the Euphrates, citing calls from friendly countries and mediators.
Hours earlier, a U.S. military designation had visited Deir Hafer and met with SDF officials in an apparent attempt to tamp down tensions.
The U.S. has good relations with both sides and has urged calm. A spokesperson for the U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Shortly before Abdi’s announcement, interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa had announced issuance of a decree strengthening Kurdish rights.
A wave of displacement
Earlier in the day, hundreds of people carrying their belongings arrived in government-held areas in northern Syria ahead of the anticipated offensive by Syrian troops on territory held by Kurdish-led fighters.
Many of the civilians who fled were seen using side roads to reach government-held areas because the main highway was blocked at a checkpoint in the town of Deir Hafer controlled by the SDF.
The Syrian army said late Wednesday that civilians would be able to evacuate through the “humanitarian corridor” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and then extended the evacuation period another day, saying the SDF had stopped civilians from leaving.
There had been limited exchanges of fire between the two sides in the area before that.
Men, women and children arrived on the government side of the line in cars and pickup trucks that were packed with bags of clothes, mattresses and other belongings. They were met by local officials who directed them to shelters.
* with input from Reuters, AP
