Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday said Iran was “absolutely” to blame for an attack on an Israeli-operated ship off the coast of Oman that killed two people, adding the regime had made a “grave mistake” in doing so.
Tehran denied involvement in Thursday night’s attack on the Mercer Street ship, saying the claim was “baseless.”
Two of the oil tanker’s crewmen, a British and a Romanian national, died in the drone attack.
“I say with no hesitation that Iran is absolutely the one that attacked the ship,” Bennett said at the start of Sunday’s cabinet meeting.
He went on to say Israel had intelligence materials that prove Iran’s culpability and called on the international community to let Tehran know it had made a serious mistake.
“In any event, we know how to convey this message to Iran in our own ways,” Bennett added.
“Iran’s bullying is dangerous not only for Israel, endangers not only Israel, but also harms global interests, namely freedom of maritime navigation and international trade,” the prime minister said.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid made similar remarks earlier to his foreign counterparts, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken.