US, Israeli officials discuss concerns over Gulf of Oman tanker attack: State Dept

Washington [US] August 4 (ANI/Sputnik): US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman discussed a shared concern about the recent attack on the oil tanker MV Mercer Street during a meeting with Israeli National Security Adviser Eyal Hulata and Senior Foreign Policy Adviser Shimrit Meir, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

“They also discussed concerns regarding the attack on the Mercer Street vessel. Deputy Secretary Sherman emphasized the strong partnership between the United States and Israel, US support for the normalization agreements between Israel and countries in the Arab and Muslim world, as well as the US government’s unwavering support for Israel’s security,” Price said on Tuesday.

MV Mercer Street, a Japanese-owned vessel with alleged links to an Israeli billionaire, was attacked off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea last Thursday. The attack resulted in the deaths of two crew members, one from Romania and the other from the UK.

Several countries including the US and UK have attributed responsibility for the attack to Iran, although Tehran denies any involvement. Both the EU and NATO have both condemned the attack, and the UN has called upon countries to avoid taking any actions that may escalate the situation.

In addition to discussing the Mercer Street attack, Sherman and the Israeli officials talked about the strategic challenges posed by Iran, advancing Palestinian freedom and security, and the US-Israel bilateral relationship more generally. (ANI/Sputnik)