Israeli premier threatens to 'act alone' against Iran

By Abdelraouf Arna'out

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israel's prime minister Tuesday threatened to "act alone" against Iran in response to an attack on an Israeli-managed oil tanker last week off Oman.

“They can’t sit calmly in Tehran while igniting the entire Middle East – that’s over,” Naftali Bennett said during a visit to the Israeli army northern command, escorted by Israeli army top commanders.

Bennett said following last Thursday's attack on the oil tanker, Israel shared intelligence information with the US, UK, and others that point towards Iran’s involvement in the attack.

“We are working to rally the world, but at the same time we also know to act alone,” Bennett said, adding that “Iran already knows the price we exact when someone threatens our security.”

Iran denied involvement in the attack, which took place in the Indian Ocean while the vessel was en route from Tanzania to the United Arab Emirates.

The attack killed two crew members – a British national and a Romanian citizen.

In recent months, many attacks on commercial vessels have been reported and linked to heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, with both nations accusing each other of responsibility.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara