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Oil tanker associated with Israeli billionaire struck by drone off Oman coast

File photo by Reuters shows an oil tanker in flames after being attacked off the coast of Oman on June 13, 2019.

A Liberian-flagged oil tanker associated with an Israeli billionaire has been struck in an exploding drone attack off the coast of Oman, reports say.

A defense official based in the Middle East, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said the oil tanker was targeted by a bomb-carrying drone Tuesday night off the coast of Oman.

The official identified the vessel as Pacific Zircon, a Liberian-flagged oil tanker operated by Eastern Pacific Shipping. Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer owns the Singapore-based company, AP said.

The United States Navy's Fifth Fleet told Reuters that it was “aware of an incident in the Gulf of Oman involving a commercial vessel.”

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

Data provided by shipping tracking site MarineTraffic put the oil tanker deep in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday night after it left the Omani port of Sohar on Monday afternoon.

The whereabouts of the vessel were unknown on Wednesday.


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