London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Aug 05, 2025

US Vows "Collective Response" Against Iran For Deadly Tanker Attack

US Vows "Collective Response" Against Iran For Deadly Tanker Attack

US and Israel have both said that their intelligence concluded that an Iranian drone on Thursday attacked the tanker MT Mercer Street as it sailed off Oman.

The United States on Monday promised to lead a "collective response" against Iran in retaliation for a deadly attack on an Israeli-linked tanker, as Tehran denied blame and warned against "adventurism."

The United States and Israel have both said that their intelligence concluded that an Iranian drone on Thursday attacked the MT Mercer Street, managed by prominent Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, as it sailed off Oman.

A British security guard and a Romanian crew member were killed in what analysts said bore all the hallmarks of the "shadow war" between enemies Iran and Israel, which have included attacks in waters around the Gulf.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the MT Mercer Street incident "a direct threat to freedom of navigation and commerce."

"We are in very close contact, in coordination, with the United Kingdom, Israel, Romania and other countries. And there will be a collective response," Blinken told reporters, the second straight day he has threatened retaliation.

Britain summoned the Iranian ambassador and demanded that vessels navigate freely in the oil-rich region.

"I think that Iran should face up to the consequences of what they've done," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters, condemning the "unacceptable and outrageous attack" on the ship.

Iran Summons Envoys


Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that Israel "must stop such baseless accusations" and called on the United States and Britain to provide evidence if any to support claims of Tehran's responsibility.

Iran "will not hesitate to protect its security and national interests, and will immediately and decisively respond to any possible adventurism," Khatibzadeh said in a statement.

Iran's foreign ministry also summoned the British charge d'affaires and Romanian ambassador to object to the "baseless" allegations over the ship, state news agency IRNA said.

The incident came ahead of Tuesday's inauguration of the ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi as Iran's new president, replacing Hassan Rouhani who had tried to improve relations with the West.

Israel, which sees Iran as its primary adversary, has gone on the offensive against the clerical state including through air strikes in war-ravaged Syria, where Tehran has been a top backer of President Bashar al-Assad.

Al-Alam, an Arabic-language network run by Iran, cited sources as saying that the Mercer incident was a response to an Israeli strike on an airport in Syria but offered no further details.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the ship incident amounted to an "escalation" by Iran.

"This is exactly the reason we must act now against Iran, which is not just moving toward a nuclear weapon but also is bringing about a dangerous arms race," Defense Minister Benny Gantz told parliament.

He said that Iranian-linked militia groups will soon have "hundreds" of Iranian-built drones including in Yemen and Iraq.

US Open To Diplomacy


Blinken, while criticizing Iran, did not see new signs as Raisi takes charge.

"We have seen a series of actions taken by Iran over many months, including against shipping, so I'm not sure that this particular action is anything new or augurs anything one way or another for the new government," Blinken said.

"But what it does say is that Iran continues to act with tremendous irresponsibility."

President Joe Biden's administration engaged in months of fruitless indirect talks with the outgoing Rouhani team to revive a 2015 nuclear accord involving the United States and Iran.

The talks came even as the United States carried out two rounds of air strikes to target Iranian-linked Iraqi militias blamed for rocket attacks on US forces.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the United States continued to believe in diplomacy as the accord had constrained Iran's nuclear efforts.

"Our view is that every single challenge and threat we face from Iran would be made more pronounced and dangerous by an unconstrained nuclear program," she said.

Tehran drastically scaled back its nuclear work under the deal negotiated by former president Barack Obama for promises of economic relief.

Obama's successor, Donald Trump, pulled out and slapped sweeping sanctions on Iran.

Israel's new government cobbled together by Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has pledged a more cooperative approach with the United States but has made clear its concerns about reviving the accord.

Israel criticized a top EU diplomat, Enrique Mora, for planning to attend Raisi's inauguration, saying the decision was "puzzling and shows poor judgment."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
×