Gulf of Oman tanker attacks
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- For the May 12 attacks, see Fujairah oil tanker explosions
- See also MV Mercer Street Drone Strike
The Front Altair and the Kokuka Courageous were struck by explosions in the early morning of June 13. The Kokuka Courageous had left Al Jubai in the KSA on June 10. The Front Altair had left Ruwais in the UAE on June 11.
A burning tanker in the Gulf of Oman on June 13, 2019
Initial reports
- Timeline and details: June 13 Gulf of Oman tanker "attack" - MECRA, updated June 15, 2019
- Two tankers 'hit by torpedo' in Gulf of Oman attacks amid simmering US, Iran tensions - Yahoo News, June 13, 2019
- Taiwanese oil refiner which chartered the Altair said ship in Gulf of Oman suspected of being hit by a torpedo - Mary Greeley News, June 13, 2019
- Oil price jumps after Gulf of Oman tanker 'attacks' - business live - The Guardian, June 13, 2019
- The Latest: US envoy: Iran should talk to US _ not attack - AP News, June 13, 2019
- Iran "responsible" for tanker attacks in Gulf of Oman, Pompeo says - CBS News, June 13, 2019
- Bainbridge Answers Distress Call US Central Command June 13, 2019
- Gulf of Oman tanker attacks: US says video shows Iran removing mine - BBC, June 14, 2019
- Japanese tanker owner claims crew saw ‘flying objects’ before attack, denies ship struck mine - RT, June 14, 2019
- Japanese Tanker Owner Says U.S. Is Wrong About Gulf Attack - FT via Daily Beast, June 14, 2019
- Japanese Tanker Owner Denies Ship Hit By Mine, Says Crew Saw "Flying Objects" Before Attack - ZeroHedge, June 14, 2019
- Japanese company says 'flying object,' not Iranian mine, struck tanker in Middle East - The Washington Times, June 14, 2019
- Iran TV shows rescued crew of attacked tanker in 'full health' AFP June 14, 2018
- Iran Tried To Shoot Down U.S. Reaper Drone Near Tankers Hours Before Attacks: Report - The Drive, June 14, 2019
- UN chief urges independent inquiry into oil tanker attacks - PressTV, June 15, 2019
Limpet mines
According to CENTCOM: This is the view of the remnants of a removed limpet mine’s placement, location, and damage sustained from a limpet mine attack, on the starboard side of motor vessel M/T Kokuka Courageous, while operating in the Gulf of Oman, June 13. A limpet mine is attached to a vessel via magnet and/or nails. The holes seen were created by nails used to hold the mine in place. Source
- "Unexploded Limpet Mine Removed from M/T Kokuka Courageous in the Gulf of Oman" (timeline, statement, and video) - U.S. Central Command Public Affairs, June 13, 2019
- The Navy has reportedly found a smoking gun as the US blames Iran for the latest tanker attack threatening the global oil market - Ryan Pickrell, Business Insider, June 13, 2019
- An oddly-placed mine suggests Iran may have been purposefully pulling its punches in the tanker attacks so far Business Insider, June 14, 2019
- Declassified: The Sino-Russian Masterplan To End U.S. Dominance In Middle East - Yossef Bodansky, OilPrice.com, June 17, 2019
- A few hours before the attack, a US MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) observed IRGC fast attack boats, most likely from the nearby Bandar-e-Jask naval base, gather and advance toward the area where the tankers would be struck. When the Iranians noticed the UAV, they launched a shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile. The missile overshot, narrowly missed the MQ-9, and crashed into the water. However, the UAV was pulled away from the scene so that there would be no evidence of the attack that unfolded shortly afterwards.
- Both tankers were subjected to repeated attacks over three hours in order to ascertain their destruction. The Norwegian owned MT Front Altair was first hit by a torpedo attack which stopped it and started a small fire. The Front Altair was then subjected to two cycles limpet-mine attacks which caused at least three major explosions and set the tanker aflame. The Japanese owned Kokuka Courageous was also subjected first to a torpedo attack which breached the hull above the water line. Over the next three hours, the Kokuka Courageous was subjected twice to limpet-mine attacks, as well as a couple of 107mm rockets (most likely launched from an IRGC Seraj-1-class fast attack boat), which also set the tanker aflame. Both tankers were first hit in the engine-room area so that they stopped. The main tanks were then repeatedly bombed until they burned out of control.
- US releases photos to bolster claim Iran attacked tankers as 1,000 additional troops to be sent to Middle East - Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press via Military Times, June 17, 2019
- US Releases Photos to Bolster Claim Iran Attacked Tankers -US News, June 17, 2019
- This image released by the U.S. Department of Defense on Monday, June 17, 2019, and taken from a U.S. Navy helicopter, shows what the Navy says are members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy removing an unexploded limpet mine from the M/T Kokuka Courageous. (U.S. Department of Defense via AP)
- Gwynne Dyer: Hopefully Iran is behind tanker attacks because the alternatives are worse - Gynne Dyer, The Hamilton Spectator, June 17, 2019
- Pentagon Releases New Pictures of the Tanker Attack Aftermath, That It Swears Prove Iranian Guilt - Marko Marjanovic Check Point Asia, June 18, 2019
- Gulf crisis: Close up to stricken oil tanker with the US Navy - BBC, June 19, 2019
- US Navy: Mine fragments from tanker attack bear Iran hallmarks - Aljazeera, June 19, 2019
- NAVAL MINES DON’T JUMP: ALTERNATIVE VERSION OF OIL TANKERS ATTACK IN GULF OF OMAN Southfront June 21, 2019
Suspects
- MKO leak shows they colluded with Saudis on Persian Gulf explosions - PressTV, June 22, 2019
Analysis
- Today's Attacks On Ships In The Gulf Of Oman Are Not In Iran's Interest - Or Are They? - Moon of Alabama, June 13, 2019
- Tankkeri-iskut Omaninlahdella: ’False Flag’ -valehyökkäyksen kaikki ainekset koossa - Janus Putkonen, Uusi MV-lehti, June 13, 2019 (in Finnish)
- Why would Iran attack two tankers near the Strait of Hormuz? - Shawn Snow, Military Times, June 13, 2019
- Seven Reasons To Be Highly Skeptical Of The Gulf Of Oman Incident - Caitlin Johnstone, June 14, 2019
- The Gulf of Credibility - Craig Murray, June 14, 2019
- Who needs proof? Britain believes US claims on Iran because ‘they’re our closest ally’ - RT, June 14, 2019
- Iran Decided To Put Maximum Pressure On Trump - Here Is How It Will Do It - Moon of Alabama, June 14, 2019
- Senators Switched Key Votes On Gulf Arms Ban Hours After Tanker Attacks - ZeroHedge, June 14, 2019
- The Other Explosion in the Gulf of Oman: Lies, Damn American Lies! - Crescent International, Shawwal 10, 1440
- The Tanker Attacks In the Gulf of Oman: Cui Bono? - Willy B, Sic Semper Tyrannis, June 14, 2019
- US gov narrative blaming Iran for oil tanker attacks falls apart in hours - Ben Norton, The Gray Zone, June 14, 2019
- The curious case of the tankers - Nat South The Saker Blog, June 14, 2019
- Iran may be playing on a key US weakness to flip the tanker mining crisis on its head and spike oil prices - Alex Lockie, Business Insider, June 14, 2019
- What Is Behind Attacks On Tankers In Persian Gulf Region - SouthFront, June 15, 2019
- Questions About The US Video – OpEd - Kaveh L. Afrasiabi, Eurasia Review, June 15, 2019
- Jeremy Corbyn: no 'credible evidence' of Iran role in tanker attacks - Jeremy Corbyn, The Guardian, June 15, 2019
- INTELLIGENCE EXPERTS QUESTION IRAN VIDEO: 'U.S. TRACK RECORD ON GINNING UP EVIDENCE FOR WAR IS NOT GOOD' - Newsweek, June 15, 2019
- Why the US rushed to propagate the 'naval mine' scenario to explain recent attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman - Failed Evolution, June 15, 2019
- Gulf of Oman: Timing of Strike Proves Iran Wasn't Involved in It – Security Analyst - Sputnik, June 16, 2019 (Mark Sleboda interviewed)
- The Gulf is facing a small-scale War Scenario: no obvious solution - Elijah J. Magnier, June 16, 2019
- US will not ‘stumble into’ war with Iran by mistake. If it happens, it will be by design - Danielle Ryan, RT, June 17, 2019
- If Iran Is Responsible for the Fuel Tanker Attacks in the Gulf of Oman (And It May Not Be), It Is Only a Reaction to Washington’s Outrageous Conduct in the Middle East - Stephen Gowans, Mint Press, June 17th, 2019
- Former Naval officer exposes flaws in US intel on Iran oil tanker attack Nafeez Ahmed, June 19, 2019
US war plans
- See also Israel-Iran war
- Provocations in the Gulf of Oman: Will John Bolton Get His War on Iran? - Michael Welch, Michel Chossudovsky, Pepe Escobar, and Yves Engler, Global Research, June 16, 2019
- Trump creates doubt over use of U.S. force to protect Gulf oil -Reuters, June 17, 2019
- U.N. officials: U.S. planning a 'tactical assault' in Iran - Jerusalem Post, June 18, 2019
- The military action under consideration would be an aerial bombardment of an Iranian facility linked to its nuclear program, the officials further claimed.
- Saudi Arabian State Media Urges U.S. To 'Hit Iran Hard' With Punitive Airstrikes - Forbes, June 18, 2019
- Report: US Planning “Massive” Airstrike On An Iranian Facility - Caitlin Johnstone, June 18, 2019
- Mike Pompeo, Top US Official Set Condition That Will Trigger Military Action Against Iran - Sputnik, June 19, 2019
- Trump Approves Strikes on Iran, but Then Abruptly Pulls Back - The New York Times, June 20, 2019
- US planned to hit 3 different sites in response to Iran, was told 150 people would have died – Trump - RT, June 21, 2019
- Suez, Iran, and the perils of imperial over-reach - Helena Cobban, June 21, 2019
- If the warmongers around Trump succeed in pushing him into a war against Iran, the “resistance” against the United States and its military will not come only from Iranians, and it will not take only military form. The “other big powers” in today’s world may well not all opt to act together to constrain and roll back a post-aggression Washington. But a significant portion of them will. And given that the the past 29 months have seen Washington summarily pull out of numerous, much-valued international agreements (including, but extending far beyond, the JCPOA), diplomatic thinkers and planners in many different capitals have already started to figure how to build international systems and structures that cannot be wrecked or held hostage by the caprices of a leader in Washington.
- As We Face Armageddon the Western World Is Leaderless - Paul Craig Roberts, Unz Review, June 22, 2019
- The cyberattacks took down Iranian computer networks used to control missile launches, says The Washington Post. Edward Moyer, c|net June 22, 2019
2021
- Explosion hits Israeli-owned cargo ship in Gulf of Oman, no injuries - Times of Israel, February 26, 2021
- Israeli vehicle-carrier ship hit by explosion in Gulf of Oman - Reuters, via National Post, February 26, 2021
- The MV HELIOS RAY is a vehicle carrier owned by an Israeli firm, en route to Singapore from the port of Dammam in Saudi Arabia
- Oil Spill Caused By Israeli Attacks On Iranian Oil Bound for Syria - Moon of Alabama, March 12, 2021
- Two crew members killed off Oman in attack on ship operated by Israeli businessman - Haaretz, July 29, 2021
- Zodiac Maritime, Twitter, July 29, 2021
- Attack on Oil Tanker Off Oman Claims Lives of Two Crew Members, Operator Says - Sputnik, July 30, 2021
- "MV Asphalt Princess: Ship hijacked off UAE ordered to sail to Iran" - BBC, August 3, 2021
- (Iran denied).
- The attackers left the tanker captured in the Gulf of Oman - TASS, August 4, 2021
- MV Asphalt Princess: Suspected hijackers leave ship off UAE - BBC, August 4, 2021
- Earlier in the day, four oil tankers reported that they were "not under command", which usually means that a vessel has lost power and cannot steer. One of the ships later began moving, the Associated Press news agency reports.
MV Mercer Street drone attack
Moved to MV Mercer Street Drone Strike