2 killed as ship tied to Israeli billionaire attacked off Oman

Dubai, July 30: The firm managing an oil tanker attacked off Oman says two of its crew were killed in the assault.

Zodiac Maritime said Friday that the two crew members came from the United Kingdom and Romania. It said it knew of no other injuries among the crew.

The attack on Thursday night targeted Liberianflagged oil tanker Mercer Street just northeast of the Omani island of Masirah.

The location is over 300 km (185 miles) southeast of Oman's capital, Muscat.

London-based Zodiac Maritime, part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer's Zodiac Group, earlier

ISRAELI OFFICIALS did not immediately acknowledge the attack, but it comes amid heightened tensions between it and Iran as negotiations remain stalled over Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

issued a statement naming the ship as the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Mercer Street. Zodiac Maritime described the ship as being Japanese owned.

Israeli officials did not immediately acknowledge the attack, but it comes amid heightened tensions between it and Iran as negotiations remain stalled over

Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

Other Israel-linked ships have been targeted in recent months as well amid a shadow war between the two nations, with Israeli officials blaming the Islamic Republic for the assaults. Israel meanwhile has been suspected in a series of major attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear program.

An brief initial statement from the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said an investigation was underway into the incident, which it described as happening late Thursday night.