Nov. 16, 2022
Release Number 20221116-05
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TAMPA, Fla. – On Nov. 15, at approximately 10:00 p.m. in the Gulf of Oman, an Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle conducted a one-way attack against the Pacific Zircon, a Liberian-flagged, commercial tanker.
Though there was damage to the vessel, there were no casualties.
Exploitation of the debris that hit the vessel reveals that it was a Shahed-series one-way attack drone.
“This unmanned aerial vehicle attack against a civilian vessel in this critical maritime strait demonstrates, once again, the destabilizing nature of Iranian malign activity in the region” said General Michael “Erik” Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command.
A multilateral operation led by the British Royal Navy’s HMS Lancaster, including 2 U.S. Navy vessels; Guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans (DDG 68); patrol coastal ship USS Chinook (PC 9); and a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon patrol craft responded to the scene.
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