Two dead in attack on Israel-linked oil tanker off Oman

Twocrewmembers of anoiltankermanaged by a company owned by a prominent Israeli businessman were killed in anattackoffOman, the vessel's London-basedoperatorsaid Friday.

Analysts said theattackbore all the hallmarks of tit-for-tat exchanges in the "shadow war" between Israel and Iran, in which vessels linked to each nation have been targeted in waters around the Gulf.

Zodiac Maritime, owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, said the incident onboardthe MT Mercer StreetonThursday left one Romanian and a UK nationaldead.

"We are not aware of harm to any other personnel," it said in a statement, adding that theJapanese-ownedtankerwas back under the control of itscrew, and was steaming to an undisclosed "safe location" under US naval escort.

The British victim worked as a guard for UK maritime security firm Ambrey, the company said.

In Israel, the office of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, and spokespeople for Defence Minister Benny Gantz and the Israeli army, declined to commentontheattack.

'Probably Iran'

Meir Javedanfar, an expertonIranian diplomacy and security at Israel's IDC Herzliya University, told AFP theattackwas "most probably Iran".

The exact details of how theattackoccurred have yet to be confirmed.

Javedanfar said Iranians "feel badly disadvantaged when it comes to responding to attacks inside Iran which have been associated to Israel", including an April strikeonthe Natanz uranium enrichment site reportedly executed by Israel.

Anattackona maritime vessel "is one area where (Iranians) feel they can try to at least retaliate," he added, calling the latest strike an escalation in the "shadow war" between thetwoMiddle Eastern powerhouses.

But he assessed the fundamental dynamics of the rivalry would change little. "Both sides will continue what they're doing," he said.

Zodiac Maritime is part of the Zodiac Group, owned by billionaire Ofer, whose enterprises span shipping, real estate, technology, banking and investments.

Ofer was ranked the world's 197th richest person by Forbes this year, with a fortune of $11.3 billion. His firms own and operate over 160 ships.

The Arabian Sea and surrounding Indian Ocean were plagued by piracy around a decade ago, but incidents have waned in recent years after foreign navies stepped up patrols.

'Significant escalation'

Zodiac initially called theattackonMT Mercer Street "a suspected piracy incident".

The vessel was in the northern Indian Ocean, travelling from Dar es Salaam to Fujairah with no cargo on board when theattackoccurred, it added.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), an anti-piracy task force run by the Royal Navy -- also issued a report of "a vessel being attacked" around 152 nautical miles (280 kilometres)offthecoastofOman.

It classed the incident as "non-piracy".

Maritime industry analysts Dryad Global said theattackwas similar to previous incidents against vessels associated with Israel and Iran.

Twoships operated by Israeli firm Ray Shipping were attacked earlier this year.

"Theattackonthe MT Mercer Street is now assessed to be the fifthattackagainst a vessel connected to Israel," Dryad said in an email noteonthe incident.

But it said before the deaths were confirmed that the loss oftwopersonnel "would represent a significant escalation in events that... would likely lead to significant international condemnation and would require diplomatic redress".

It advised clients that the risk to commercial vessels associated with Israel and Iran in the Gulf waterway was "heightened", pointing to lingering tensions between thetwopowers over Iran's nuclear ambitions.

"Such incidents remain irregular and are highly unlikely to impact normal commercial operations throughout the region," it added.