Middle East News: Oil tanker struck in exploding drone attack off Oman – Gulf Digital News

Middle East News: Oil tanker struck in exploding drone attack off Oman – Gulf Digital News

An oil tanker was struck in an exploding drone attack off Oman amid heightened tensions with Iran, a Associated Press reporter said in a tweet on Wednesday, citing a defense official.

The Associated Press cited a defense official as saying that a Liberian-flagged oil tanker was struck in an exploding drone attack off the Gulf of Oman.

The Bahrain-based US Navy's Fifth Fleet is aware of the incident involving a commercial vessel, Commander Timothy Hawkins told Reuters on Wednesday.

The tanker was operated by the Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, a company AP said was ultimately owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer.

The Oman Maritime Security Centre, when contacted by Reuters, said it had no information at this time.

Representatives for the Eastern Pacific Shipping were not immediately reachable for comment.

According to shipping tracking site MarineTraffic, the tanker, 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.