Japanese vessel Kokuka Courageous  (Photo: REUTERS/VNA)

Facts must be established, and responsibilities clarified, Guterres told a meeting of the UN Security Council on cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States. 

Addressing the event, the Arab League Secretary-General called on the Security Council to act against those responsible to maintain security in the region, adding that several regional countries are investigating the attack. Kuwait’s Foreign Minister described the tanker attacks as a threat to international peace and security, while German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the attacks could lead to escalation in the region. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said that the US Government is providing assistance and will continue to assess the situation. 
The damages to the Japanese vessel Kokuka Courageous and the Norwegian vessel Front Altair on Thursday may have been caused by a torpedo or magnetic mine. The US has blamed Iran for the attack but Tehran declined the allegations.