Centcom: Iran was behind the Mercer Street attack

US Central Command announced after an investigation that Iran was behind the attack on motor tanker mercer street In which two crew members were killed on 30 July.

On investigation it was found that mercer street It was targeted by two unsuccessful explosive unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks on the evening of 29 July, both of which were communicated by the crew via distress calls. The investigation team found small remains of at least one UAV that the crew had rescued from the sea, confirming the reports and proving them to be credible.

significant damage to mercer street A day later on 30 July was the result of a third UAV attack.

The UAV was loaded with military-grade explosives, which created a 6-foot hole in the top of the pilot house and badly damaged the interior. Two crew members, a Romanian and a British national, were killed in the explosion. Explosive chemical tests indicated the presence of a nitrate-based explosive, leading investigators to conclude that the UAV had been destroyed. intentionally designed to cause harm Damage to the ship and those on board.

A satellite image shows a damaged Mercer Street tanker off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates on August 4, 2021. (Credit: Maxar Technologies/Handout Via Reuters)

Several parts of the third UAV, including a portion of the wing and some internal components, were recovered during the investigation and, upon inspection, were found to be almost identical to examples collected earlier from the Iranian one-way UAV. In addition, the location of the attack was quite close to the Iranian coast, which corresponded to the documented range of the said UAVs.

After a visual analysis of the evidence, the material was transferred to the US Fifth Fleet Headquarters, which is responsible for naval forces in the Persian Gulf, for further testing and verification. To verify the US findings, UK explosives experts were given access to the headquarters of the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, and the evidence was shared with Israeli explosives experts. Both British and Israeli experts agreed with the US.

Iranian ambassadors to Britain and Romania have been summoned by authorities in London and Bucharest in response to the attacks, and both countries promised to coordinate a joint response With Israel and America.