‘DRONE ATTACK’ leaves Iranian tanker ablaze off Syrian coast – reports

A suspected drone attack left an oil tanker ablaze off the coast of Syria, the country’s state media said. The tanker was reportedly of Iranian origin.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, which threatened one of the vessel’s tanks, the Syrian Arab news agency reported on Saturday.

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Syria’s oil ministry had originally reported the tanker fire, with officials telling state-run media that the ship had been attacked by a drone that came from Lebanese waters. 

The tanker was of Iranian origin, according to a report by the Tehran-operated Al-Alam TV. It was reportedly one of three Iranian vessels to have arrived recently at the Baniyas oil terminal, an important oil transit location on the Syrian coast.

Two projectiles hit the tanker, the Al-Alam report added, citing "informed sources."

Anonymous attack in an Iranian fuel tanker in front of the Syrian borders.
Most likely to be an Israeli attack on the Iranian ship while it was trying to smuggle fuel to the Assad regime pic.twitter.com/Y0V2jLWJND

— Asaad Hanna (@AsaadHannaa) April 24, 2021

The fire was extinguished shortly afterwards, Syrian officials reported.

Photos taken from the shore show a thick column of smoke rising from the apparently stricken vessel.

Several images the oil tanker on fire off the Syrian coast of Baniyas. #Syria pic.twitter.com/ZADTLONwgJ

— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah) April 24, 2021

Israel and Iran have accused each other of targeting each other’s ships in the region in recent months. Israel admitted earlier this month that it targeted at least one Iranian vessel, a military cargo ship.

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