U.S. Says Drone Fragments Recovered From Israeli-Linked Tanker Point to Iran’s Role in Attack

In the meantime, the Group of Seven main economies and the European Union additionally positioned blame on Iran on Friday, calling it a “deliberate and focused assault, and a transparent violation of worldwide regulation.”

“All obtainable proof clearly factors to Iran. There isn’t any justification for this assault,” the joint assertion mentioned.

Ambassador Zahra Ershadi, Iran’s deputy consultant to the United Nations, on Friday denied Iranian accountability and accused Israel of “adventurism and destabilizing actions” within the area.

Neither the U.S. nor its European allies have hinted whether or not they would use navy motion, sanctions or different measures in response to their conclusions.

The U.S. navy mentioned the assault started July 29, when two armed drones landed on the Liberian-flagged Mercer Avenue, at sea close to the coast of Oman, however did no main harm. The crew recovered a few of the particles from one of many drones, the navy mentioned. The next day, a 3rd drone attacked the ship, killing two crew members, a Romanian and British nationwide, the primary deaths after quite a few strikes in recent times on ships within the area.

The July 30 assault “required calculated and deliberate retargeting of [Mercer Street] by Iran,” the U.S. navy mentioned. A proxy state or terrorist group couldn’t have carried out such an assault thus far into worldwide waters, a U.S. official mentioned.

A U.S. ordnance staff stationed on the united statesRonald Reagan, the closest American plane provider, boarded Mercer Avenue the day of the second assault and picked up proof, together with items of the drones.

The U.S. “concluded, primarily based on the vertical fin being similar to these on one of many Iranian designed and produced one-way assault ‘kamikaze’ household, that Iran was actively concerned on this assault.”

The U.S. navy couldn’t say the place the drones originated from, however mentioned “the gap from the Iranian coast to the places of the assaults was throughout the vary of documented Iranian one-way assault UAVs,” or unmanned aerial automobiles.

Individually, U.Ok. envoy to the U.N.

Barbara Woodward

mentioned Friday the drone used within the assault was an Iranian-made Shahed 136 UAV, citing an evaluation of the particles recovered from the ship.

The Mercer Avenue is owned by a Japanese firm however operated by Zodiac Maritime, which itself is managed by Israeli billionaire

Eyal Ofer’s

group.

Iran has mentioned Israel was behind an April act of sabotage at its primary nuclear plant, and The Wall Avenue Journal has reported that Israel has been concentrating on ships carrying gasoline and weaponry from Iran to Syria.

The U.N. Safety Council mentioned the assaults in a closed session Friday, and is predicted to debate the matter once more in an Aug. 9 assembly on maritime safety.

However the presence of Russia and China as everlasting members of the Safety Council, with the ability to veto resolutions, might restrict the physique’s potential to react. The 2 nations have previously opposed U.S. efforts to reinstate sanctions and a standard arms embargo towards Iran.

The accusation towards Iran comes as U.S. talks in Vienna on restoring the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran have stalled. The U.S. is ready for Iran to return to the negotiating desk. There may be concern amongst U.S. negotiators because the election of Iran’s new president that Tehran will stiffen its phrases.

The U.S. is creating a sanctions marketing campaign towards Iran’s evolving capabilities for precision strikes utilizing drones and guided missiles, in accordance with U.S. officers, amid considerations over the risk these weapons signify to American and allied pursuits.

—Benoit Faucon in London contributed to this text.

Write to Nancy A. Youssef at nancy.youssef@wsj.com and Courtney McBride at courtney.mcbride@wsj.com