An MTI correspondent in Jerusalem, citing Israeli public service television, said that a Libyan crude oil tanker coming from Iran caused dangerous oil spills off the Israeli coast two weeks ago.
Photo: MTI / AP – Ariel Shalit. Volunteers clean up oil pollution on the Mediterranean coast near Hadera.
According to an investigation by the Israeli Ministry of Environment, a Libyan-owned tanker ship bound from Iran to Syria carrying Libyan crude oil flying the Panama flag in an environmental disaster caused extremely severe oil pollution on the Israeli Mediterranean coast.
The ministry reported that the oil spill occurred on the first or second of February, when the followers of the automatic ship were stopped and headed to the Syrian coast, where they were later returned to service by tracking devices.
According to the Israeli authorities, a tanker carrying its goods as smuggled goods without proper permits moved its cargo to smaller ships between February 3 and 14, but it is not clear whether the oil entered the sea on purpose or as a result of an accident.
They caused massive damage
Conservation experts say a major environmental disaster of the scale that occurred in February has not hit the Mediterranean coast in Israel for decades.
“Iran is using terrorism not only with nuclear weapons and pushing our borders, but also by causing natural harm,” nature conservation activist Gil Jalil and Likud politician wrote on her Twitter account.
According to news from commercial TV Channel 13, neither the Mossad, the foreign intelligence agency, nor any other Israeli security organization knew in advance that Gamliel would confirm Iran’s involvement, and they did not share that opinion, MTI correspondent wrote. An unnamed senior security official told the public service station that Iran does not appear to be directly involved, and the director of the Environment Ministry also questioned the possibility of an intentional oil spill.
Tensions between Israel and Iran escalated two days ago when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of attacking an Israeli-owned cargo ship called the Helios Ray, which Tehran rejected.
