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Mercer Street: Tanker blast evidence points

to Iran, says US
By Frank Gardner

BBC security correspondent

11 hours ago

REUTERS

The attack on the tanker as it sailed past the Omani island of Masirah killed two people

The US military's Central Command has announced the results of its forensic
investigation into last week's fatal drone attack on a merchant tanker off
Oman.

It says explosives experts concluded that the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
was produced in Iran.

The evidence has been shared with explosives experts in Britain and Israel who
concurred with the findings
concurred with the findings.

The attack on the MT Mercer Street killed two people.

The vessel is managed by the London-based Zodiac Maritime, a company

owned by Israeli shipping magnate Eyal Ofer.

A British security guard, Adrian Underwood, and the ship's Romanian captain
lost their lives as the ship sailed past the Omani island of Masirah.

Britain, the US, Israel and Romania, were quick to blame Iran which has denied
any involvement. It said if there was any proof then it should be made public.

Now a statement from Centcom has shed some light on what it says its
investigation has revealed.

Throughout the past week an explosive investigations team from the US

 oug out t e past ee a e plos e est gat o s tea o t e US
Navy's aircraft carrier the USS Ronald Reagan has been examining the
evidence left behind by the drone attack.

After interviewing the survivors and studying the explosive residue they have
concluded that the ship was targeted by three drones in all.

The first two, launched at the ship on the evening of Thursday 29 July, missed
their target. But the third drone, launched early on Friday 30 July and loaded
with a military grade explosive, hit the pilot house and exploded, killing the
two men and leaving a 2-metre diameter hole.

Investigators say explosive chemical tests had identified the residue as RDX, a
nitrate-based explosive, indicating that the UAV was rigged to cause injury
and destruction.

The investigators also recovered part of the drone's wing and after further
testing they concluded that the drone was produced in Iran. A joint statement
issued by all the G7 nations on Friday condemned Iran's actions and said its
actions threatened peace and stability.

REUTERS

An explosive investigations team from the US Navy's aircraft carrier the USS Ronald Reagan has
examined evidence left behind

Iran and Israel have been engaged in an undeclared and so-called "shadow
war" for some time now.

Israel is widely assumed to be behind a series of sabotage acts on Iran's

nuclear programme, including the assassination of key scientists. It has also
attacked Iranian ships suspected of carrying oil to Syria that is destined for
Iran's militia ally in Lebanon Hezbullah
Iran s militia ally in Lebanon, Hezbullah.

EXPLAINED: Iran and Israel's shadow war

UK and Iran summon diplomats after tanker attack

Iran has been targeting Israeli-linked shipping with limpet mines, something
which the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps train intensively for. But last
week's deadly drone attack marked a major escalation, killing some of those
onboard and dragging in a major western power.

Days later there was a second attack on shipping with armed men briefly
seizing control of another merchant tanker, the MV Asphalt Princess, before
leaving it to go on its way.

The incidents come at a time of heightened tension in the region as the new,
hardline President Ebrahim Raisi takes power in Iran and talks aimed at
reviving the moribund deal to curb Iran's suspect nuclear programme falter in
Vienna.

Related Topics

Iran Israel US Armed Forces Drones

More on this story

Security guard killed in tanker attack named

2 days ago

UK and US blame Iran for deadly ship attack

5 days ago

West faces dilemmas over tanker attack

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