The Iranian government has denied involvement in some attacks in the Gulf, calling them a “false flag” operation by Israel to provoke Arab states into joining the war against Tehran.
In an interview with Middle East Eye, an Iranian foreign ministry official claimed that Israel is responsible for several drone strikes on Saudi Arabia.
They also claimed that Israel is behind “at least one of the attacks on Oman.”
“I can categorically say that some of the attacks were not carried out by us [Iran],” the official told Middle East Eye on condition of anonymity.
Another Iranian official has also denied involvement in some attacks against Saudi Arabia, particularly on the Saudi Aramco oil facilities.
Khamenei denies attacks on Turkey, Oman
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei also vehemently denied involvement in attacks against Turkey and Oman, claiming that it was a deceptive ploy carried out by Israel to isolate Iran from its neighbours.
“The attacks that took place in Turkey and Oman – both of which have good relations with us – were in no way carried out by the armed forces of Iran or the forces of the resistance front,” said Khamenei during his congratulatory remarks for the Persian New Year.
He warned that such operations might also be happening in other countries “to sow discord among neighbours.”
On March 12, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) neutralised a third ballistic missile entering Turkish airspace.
According to the Turkish Defence Ministry, the missiles were aimed at NATO’s air defence facilities in Incirlik.
Since then, NATO has activated three Patriot systems to repel missile attacks targeting Turkey.
Oman’s Duqm Port was also targeted twice by drone strikes, hitting a fuel tank and disrupting maritime operations across the country.
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Israel’s history with false flags
Israel has an extensive history of employing false flags in their military operations to experiment with strategy, covert intelligence tactics, and diplomatic sabotage.
In January 1955, two individuals were sentenced to death, while seven were granted life imprisonment terms by the Egyptian authorities for aiding Israeli military operatives in orchestrating public chaos in civilian areas across Egypt.
Cinemas, libraries, and educational centres – particularly owned by the United States and the United Kingdom – were subjected to bomb attacks falsely attributed to the Egyptian Sunni Islamist organisation Muslim Brotherhood, Egyptian communists, and Egyptian nationalists.
The operation was reportedly conducted by Israeli intelligence to sow diplomatic instability and urge the British government to continue its occupation of the Egyptian Suez Canal.
It aims to contain Egypt’s military ambitions towards Israel, which Tel Aviv then deemed could be emboldened by the British troops’ withdrawal from the canal and the rising American sentiment towards Egyptian nationalism.
Widely known as the Lavon affair, named after then-Israeli defense minister Pinhas Lavon, it remains one of the most infamous cases of false flag operations in Cold War history.
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Angelica N. Hall 
Shameeka Voyiya 
Carmela Calling