The US says it will take ‘all necessary measures’ to defend ‘freedom of navigation’ and commerce
www.dvidshub.net/video/689676/unexploded-limpet-mine-removed-m-t-kokuka-courageous-gulf-oman
The US says it will take ‘all necessary measures’ to defend ‘freedom of navigation’ and commerce
In a heightening of rhetoric around what he called unprovoked attacks on tankers in the Gulf of Oman, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said Iran was ‘lashing out’ against America and its allies.
The US secretary of state said the US assessment that Iran was responsible for the attacks was based on "intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to execute the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping" and a lack of credible threats from Iran’s "proxy groups", but offered no specific evidence tying Iran to the explosions on board Front Altair and Kokuka Courageous.
Iran dismissed claims that it was involved in the attacks, calling the accusations "unfounded".
"Iran categorically rejects the US unfounded claim with regard to 13 June oil tanker incidents, and condemns it in the strongest possible terms," the Iranian mission to the United Nations said.
The US military’s central command (USCENTCOM) published video footage (above) that it claimed showed one of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vessels removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the two tankers that suffered explosions in the Gulf of Oman yesterday.
A statement from Capt Bill Urban, Lead Spokesman for US Central Command detailed a timeline of alleged Iranian military interactions with or in the vicinity of Frontline’s vessel Front Altair.
The US military command said an Iranian Fast Inshore Attack Craft requested Hyundai Dubai, a heavy lift vessel which had rescued the sailors from the Front Altair, turn the crew over and the vessel complied.
An update from Frontline’s crisis management firm MTI today said the vessel’s crew are safe and well.
"Following their disembarkation from the Iranian naval vessel at the Iranian port of Jask the crew are on their way to Bandar Abbas prior to repatriation," the statement said.
MTI’s statement said the fire on Front Altair had been extinguished and the tanker was in a ’stable’ position with boundary cooling measures underway. An additional salvage tug was expected on site today, equipped with fire-fighting and towing capabilities. A full salvage team is due on site tomorrow (15 June) to undertake a damage assessment. No pollution has been reported from the vessel.
USCENTCOM said its USS Bainbridge guided missile destroyer stopped an apparent attempt by an Iranian naval patrol boat to force the Dutch tugboat Coastal Ace to turn over the 21 crew rescued from Kokuka Courageous.
“While the Hendijan patrol boat appeared to attempt to get to the tug Coastal Ace before USS Bainbridge, the mariners were rescued by USS Bainbridge at the request of the master of Kokuka Courageous.”
The crew, USCENTCOM said, had “abandoned their ship after discovering a probable unexploded limpet mine on their hull following an initial explosion”.
The UAE, Norway and Saudi Arabia briefed the United Nations Security Council last week on tanker attacks that took place in UAE waters off the coast of Fujairah in May, noting the high probability – based on a chemical analysis of debris from the explosions – that limpet mines were used in those attacks. The co-ordination of the attacks led them to believe a state actor was the most likely instigator.
Both Iran and the US have released pictures showing rescued crew members on board their vessels.
USCENTCOM ended its statement by saying "The US and the international community, stand ready to defend our interests, including the freedom of navigation". However, the statement said, the US has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East.
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