UK, US blame Iran for attack on Israeli-managed oil tanker

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The United Kingdom and the United States on Sunday condemned the Thursday attack on an Israeli-managed petroleum tanker off the coast of Oman that killed two people, with both blaming Iran.

The UK condemned the “the unlawful and callous” attack and said it believed it “was deliberate, targeted, and a clear violation of international law by Iran. UK assessments have concluded that it is highly likely that Iran attacked the MV MERCER STREET in international waters off Oman on 29 July using one or more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs),” read a statement from UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

“We are confident that Iran conducted this attack, which killed two innocent people, using one-way explosive UAVs, a lethal capability it is increasingly employing throughout the region,” read a statement from Ned Price, the US State Department’s spokesperson.

British and Romanian nationals were killed in the attack on the oil tanker managed by an Israeli billionaire.

Iran has denied involvement, saying "the Zionist regime has created insecurity, terror and violence... These accusations about Iran's involvement are condemned by Tehran," Reuters reported Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as telling a weekly news conference.

Arch-rivals Iran and Israel have accused each other of being behind several attacks in recent months. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said the attack deserves a tough response.

"Iran is not just an Israeli problem, but an exporter of terrorism, destruction and instability that harms us all. The world must not be silent in the face of Iranian terrorism that also harms freedom of shipping," Lapid tweeted.