Israel 'Likely To Respond' To Deadly Tanker Attack

Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz held an emergency meeting on Friday with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of General Staff Aviv Kochavi and other security officials following the attack on the Israeli-linked tanker off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea that resulted in the death of two crew members.

Zodiac Maritime, owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, said the incident on board the MT Mercer Street on left one Romanian and one British national dead.

An unnamed Israeli "senior official" told Hebrew-language media outlets that Israel will continue to act against "Iranian aggression in the region" and is "likely" to respond to Friday's attack. 

"They were in such haste to attack an Israeli target that they ended up killing foreign civilians," the official said.

Israel's Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid responded to the attack saying that "Iran isn't merely Israel's problem, it is an exporter of terrorism, destruction and instability hurting everyone. We must not remain silent in the face of Iranian terrorism, which is now jeopardizing the freedom of navigation."  

According to a source cited by Iran's Al-Alam News Network,  Friday's attack was carried out by Iran in response to Israel's strike on an airport in Syria housing Iran-backed terrorists.