On Wednesday, Britain, Romania, and Liberia informed the United Nations Security Council that it is "highly likely" that Iran used one or more drones to carry out a deadly attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman last week. The three countries stated in a letter to the 15-member Security Council, which Reuters reviewed, that "this attack compromised the safety and security of international shipping and posed a risk to it, constituting a clear violation of international law... the international community should condemn this act."
For its part, Israel sent a message to the Council stating that the attack on the tanker is a new example of the maritime terrorism practiced by Iran in international waters. It called on the Council to condemn Iranian actions and impose sanctions on Iran due to its threats to freedom of navigation and its repeated violations of international law.
On Tuesday, the United States announced that a response to the attack targeting an Israeli-managed oil products tanker off the coast of Oman would be forthcoming soon. The attack last week resulted in the deaths of a British national and a Romanian. U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters: "We are consulting with governments, both within the region and outside it, regarding a proportional response."
Last Friday, the American newspaper "The New York Times" reported that Israeli officials indicated that the attack on the tanker in the Arabian Sea appeared to have been carried out using several Iranian drones. The newspaper stated that "an oil tanker managed by an Israeli-owned shipping company was attacked on Thursday night off the coast of Oman, resulting in the deaths of two crew members."
This attack marks the worst-known maritime violence in regional shipping attacks since 2019, witnessing the first casualties after years of assaults targeting navigation in the area. The newspaper quoted a U.S. Defense Department official that "two U.S. Navy vessels responded to a distress call, and American personnel boarded the tanker to assist in the investigation." An Israeli intelligence official noted that "the timing of the attack indicates that Iran is now working to expand its maritime operations,” adding that "Iran apparently uses the sea to respond to attacks believed to have been carried out by Israel against Iran and its allies on land."
Iranian media reported last Friday that the attack on the Israeli ship was a response to the attack on the Dabaa airport in Syria a week prior.
