The United Kingdom and the United States believe Iran was responsible for a tanker assault that killed two people and has promised to retaliate, calling the action a breach of international law.
U.S. and UK Blame Iran for Drone Attack on Oil Tanker
In a recently published article in AXIOS, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stated in separate remarks that they think Iran was behind the fatal assault in the Arabian Sea. Israel initially blamed Iran for the July 29 assault, but Iran has denied any participation.
According to Blinken, they are sure that Iran carried out this assault, which murdered two innocent individuals. Based on reports, the assailant utilized one-way explosive UAVs, a deadly capacity deployed across the area.
He also added that the assault, which follows a history of attacks and other aggressive conduct, has no justification. These activities jeopardize the freedom of passage in this vital waterway, as well as international trade and commerce and the lives of people on board, according to a published article in Times of Israel.
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The UK Condemns the Attack
The assault, according to British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, was an intentional, targeted, and blatant breach of international law by Iran. Iran is very likely to have attacked the MV Mercer Street in international seas off the coast of Oman on July 29 using one or more Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, according to UK assessments.
In a recently published article in MSN News, Raab said the United Kingdom strongly condemns the illegal and cruel assault on a commercial vessel off the coast of Oman, which resulted in the deaths of a British and a Romanian citizen. Their hearts go out to the friends and family members of those who were murdered in the tragedy.
Iran must stop its assaults and allow ships to sail freely in line with international law, he added. The United Kingdom is arranging a coordinated reaction with its international allies in response to the heinous assault. Meanwhile, in response to the assaults, British and Israeli diplomats will try to convene a UN Security Council meeting.
UK and Israel Discuss the Recent Drone Attack
On Sunday, Israel Defense Forces Chief Aviv Kohavi met with Sir Nick Carter, his British counterpart. According to an Israeli military statement, the two addressed current developments in the area as well as shared problems that both nations confront, according to BBC News.
The two agreed to exchange information and coordinate a response against Iran, which they described as unprecedented cooperation on the Islamic Republic. Furthermore, despite years of attacks on commercial ships in the area related to tensions between Israel and Iran over the shattered nuclear agreement, Thursday's strike was the first documented deadly attack.
However, Jerusalem was dissatisfied by the international community's first ambiguous comments and wanted more strong condemnations that clearly blamed Iran.
Iran Denies the Drone Attack
Iran denied any participation on Sunday, dismissing Israel's "blame games." Saeed Khatibzadeh, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, made the first official remarks on the assault from Tehran, which will have a new appointed president on Thursday.
"Such blame games are nothing new. Those who are responsible for this [attack] are the ones who made it possible for the Israeli regime to set its foot in this region," Khatibzadeh said.
