Israel accused Iran of carrying out an "environmental attack" against it, due to the oil spill accident that occurred last month in the eastern Mediterranean.
Israeli Environment Minister Gila Gamaliel said in a press conference today, Wednesday, that the ship that caused the leak is owned by the Libyans and sailed from Iran through the Gulf without communication on radio waves, and then passed through the Suez Canal.
She added that the oil ship named "Emerald" approached what she described as the exclusive economic zone of Israel and "deliberately polluted the water", as tons of tar leaked between the first and second of last February.
According to the Israeli minister, the ship continued its journey from there to Syria carrying a cargo from Iran.
The ministry presented what it said were strong "circumstantial evidence" that this ship was responsible for the leak, even though it did not have "forensic evidence."
There was no immediate comment from Iran.
And after strong winds and strong waves last week, the tar plank expanded to pollute the 160 km beaches from Ras al-Naqoura in southern Lebanon to Ashkelon in the northern Gaza Strip.
This accusation may increase tension between Israel and Iran.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Tehran of responsibility for an explosion in an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman last week, which Tehran denied.