U.S. Navy says mine fragments suggest Iran behind Gulf tanker attack

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS JUNE 19, 2019 / 7:25 AM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO

U.S. Navy says mine fragments suggest Iran behind Gulf tanker attack

Aziz El Yaakoubi
6 MIN READ

FUJAIRAH, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) - The United States sought on Wednesday to bolster its case for isolating Iran over its nuclear and regional activities by displaying limpet mine fragments it said came from an oil tanker damaged in an attack last week and saying the ordnance looked Iranian in origin.

Separately, a senior U.S. official said U.S. intelligence had confirmed that Iranian vessels had approached the damaged tanker, the Kokuka Courageous, as well as a second one, the Front Altair, prior to explosions that damaged their hulls last week.

Iran has denied involvement in explosive strikes on those two tankers in the Gulf of Oman last week and on four tankers off the United Arab Emirates on May 12, both near the Strait of Hormuz, a major conduit for global oil supplies.

But the incidents have fueled tensions that flared with the U.S. pullout last year from world powers’ 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, followed by fresh U.S. sanctions to stifle Tehran’s vital oil trade, and a retaliatory Iranian threat this week to breach limits on its nuclear activities imposed by the deal.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear/u-s-navy-says-mine-fragments-suggest-iran-behind-gulf-tanker-attack-idUSKCN1TK1DX

[Kaleva]

2. Freepers thing that the Deep State is trying to force Trump into a war with Iran

It's interesting reading over there.

[msongs]

3. when it's not ramming its own ships.... nt