IRGC reportedly targeted Israeli oil tanker in Gulf: Media reports

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
17 Feb 2023 22:44
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BBC Farsi cites military sources as saying that several Iranian ships and drones attacked an Israeli oil tanker in the Gulf.

The Campo Square oil tanker (Marine Traffic)

Israeli media cited reports as saying that Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly targeted last week an oil tanker, Campo Square, operating on behalf of Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer's Zodiac Maritime shipping company.

The media claimed that senior security sources confirmed the reports regarding an IRGC attack on an Israeli commercial tanker in the Gulf.

The Israeli media quoted senior security sources as saying that the alleged attack is an Iranian attempt to retaliate against "Israel" for the activities attributed to it.

דיווח ב- BBC בפרסית: ספינת נפט בשם CAMPO SQUARE, הפועלת מטעם חברת הספנות זודיאק של המיליארדר הישראלי אייל עופר, הותקפה בידי כלי שייט של משמרות המהפכה ומל"טים מתאבדים במפרץ הפרסי. לא דווח על נזק או נפגעים@kaisos1987 pic.twitter.com/cUBCZgw8Mt
— איתי בלומנטל Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) February 17, 2023

The Israeli Channel 12 military affairs commentator claimed that the attack is part of the battle that the Iranians are leading against "Israel", adding that the Iranians are trying to attack and retaliate against "Israel", and this attack is an example of that.

In the same context, BBC Farsi cited a US military official and a high-ranking military source in the region as saying that several Iranian ships and drones were used in the attack on the tanker.

According to BBC, the Campo Square tanker sails under the flag of Liberia, but its associated shipping companies are based in the UK and Greece.

Zodiac Company told BBC Farsi that the tanker is managed by Elston Company in Greece, which did not confirm or deny the attack but claimed that the Campo Square and its crew continued their journey safely.

The news website cited the US military source and the high-ranking military source in the Middle East as saying that a Shahed 136 drone was apparently used in the recent attack.

The report noted that the Campo Square attack is not the first of its kind, as the tanker is the third Zodiac Shipping and Ofer vessel to be reportedly attacked within the past two years.