Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Sunday Israel had “evidence” Iran was behind the deadly tanker attack off Oman despite its denials, and warned his country could “send a message” in retaliation.
Bennett s statement came after Iran rejected its arch-foe s “baseless accusations” it was responsible for the attack that killed two crewmen, and vowed to defend its interests after Israel pushed for UN action against it.
“The intelligence evidence for this exists and we expect the international community will make it clear to the Iranian regime that they have made a serious mistake,” the Israeli premier said at the weekly cabinet meeting in remarks conveyed by his office. “In any case, we know how to send a message to Iran in our own way.”
The MT Mercer Street, managed by prominent Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, was struck Thursday off the Omani coast.
A British security guard and a Romanian crew member were killed in what the US military and the vessel s operator Zodiac Maritime said appeared to be a drone strike.—Agencies
