Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) meets Israeli actress Carmit Mesilati Kaplan (right) during a visit to the Khan theatre ahead of the re-opening of the culture sector following COVID-19 imposed closures, on Feb 23, 2021 in Jerusalem. (OHAD ZWIGENBERG / POOL / AFP)

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed Iran on Monday for a blast aboard an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman last week but sidestepped a question on whether Israel would retaliate.

The MV Helios Ray, a vehicle-carrier ship, was hit overnight by a blast above the water line that a US official said ripped holes in both sides of its hull.

“This was indeed an operation by Iran. That is clear,” Netanyahu told Kan radio.

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Asked if Israel would retaliate, he repeated previous statements about his determination to prevent Iran from developing nuclear capacity and added: “We are striking at it (Iran) all over the region.”

Kan said the interview was recorded on Sunday night, before Syria accused Israel of carrying out missile strikes around southern Damascus. Israel did not confirm that, but has previously said it was launching frequent military actions against Iranian deployment or arms handovers within Syria.