BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 2. An oil tanker navigating the waters off Muscat, Oman, was targeted in an attack amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, resulting in the loss of one life, the statement of the Oman Maritime Security Center says, Trend reports.
According to the statement, as a result of the attack, an explosion and a fire also broke out on the ship.
"The MKD VYOm oil tanker, sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands, was attacked by an autonomous water vehicle 52 nautical miles off the coast of Muscat. The tanker was carrying approximately 59,463 tons of cargo," the statement noted.
The person who died as a result of the incident is a crew member who is an Indian citizen, the statement added.
Following the 2nd round of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S. increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East.
The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically. However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive.
In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly resulted in the deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several members of his family.
Additionally, several of Iran’s most senior military and security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh.
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