Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly blamed Iran for an explosion last week in the Gulf of Oman. The explosion damaged an Israeli ship, reportedly ripping holes in both sides of its hull. The vessel was a vehicle carrier traveling from Saudi Arabia to Singapore, according to local media reports. Mr. Netanyahu announced that the incident was an operation perpetrated by Iran on Kan Radio, without providing any evidence or details.
Iran’s foreign ministry rejected the accusation. The remarks came just hours after reports emerged that Israel has targeted Iranian forces in Syria with a series of missile strikes. It remains unclear what caused the explosion in the Gulf of Oman, however, photographic evidence of the hull suggests that the damage was the result of a mine affixed to the exterior. The attack also took place close to the Iranian coast and it was clear that the vessel was Israeli-owned via publicly available databases. The incident bears resemblance to a 2019 operation in which explosions in the Gulf of Oman damaged several oil tankers.
Read More: Netanyahu blames Iran for blast on Israeli-owned ship in Gulf of Oman