NEW YORK (Reuters) – Britain, Romania and Liberia told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that Iran was “very likely” to have used one or more drones to carry out a deadly attack on tankers last week off the coast of Oman.

“This attack disrupted and posed a risk to the safety and security of international shipping and was a flagrant violation of international law,” the countries said in a letter to the 15-member council consulted by Reuters. “This act must be condemned by the international community.

Tehran has denied any involvement in Thursday’s attack on Mercer Street – a Japanese Liberian-flagged tanker operated by Israeli company Zodiac Maritime. Two crew members, a British and a Romanian, were killed.

Diplomats have said Britain is expected to raise the issue at a closed-door Security Council meeting in the coming days. Coincidentally, the council is also due to discuss maritime security at a public meeting on Monday, chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India is the chairman of the board for the month of August.

“The UK and Romania, along with regional and international partners, are fully investigating this attack. We will notify the council in due course,” Britain, Liberia and Romania said in the letter.

Israel wrote separately to the UN Security Council, pledging to “continue to take all necessary measures to protect its citizens.”

“Iran’s relentless hostile activities endanger our region and beyond, and we expect the Security Council to take concrete and decisive action to stem this growing threat,” the Israeli ambassador wrote. in the United States and the United Nations, Gilad Erdan.

The United States and Britain said on Sunday they would work with their allies to respond to the attack.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Dan Grebler and Richard Pullin)

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