You have commented 338 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Arabia
Middle East on alert as two oil tankers are hit by explosions and one 'sinks' in suspected 'torpedo attack' in Gulf of Oman
2019-06-13
[MAIL] Dramatic pictures have revealed the fireball which erupted on an oil tanker after it was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman today.

The MT Front Altair was one of two ships hit in a pair of blasts which have left the Middle East on high alert.

The tanker suffered three explosions and caught fire after a suspected torpedo attack, although its Norwegian owner has denied Iranian claims that the vessel has sunk.

The Altair and the other ship, the Kokuka Courageous, were evacuated after sending distress signals - picked up by the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet - with 44 sailors rescued.

Britain has urged 'extreme caution' amid high tensions in the Middle East, weeks after four tankers were attacked in a mysterious act of sabotage off the UAE coast which Washington believes was the work of Iran.

And as Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets Iran's Supreme Leader today in an effort to defuse the crisis, while Tokyo revealed that the two tankers had been carrying 'Japan-related cargo'.
Posted by:Besoeker

#16  Six minor boats burn in iran.

M, could Guam be to blame? Afterall, Canada is not likely. Their fleet of all 4 canoes were busy at a fish fry beer fest.
Posted by: Woodrow   2019-06-13 18:09  

#15  So Iran basically said "We didn't do it, but it sunk!"
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2019-06-13 17:09  

#14  perhaps we shouldn't be buying oil when we are exporting it
Posted by: chris   2019-06-13 16:23  

#13  if the ships were carrying oil products from Iran to Japan they were, I think, in violation of the US sanctions on Iran

if the ships were carrying oil products from, say, Saudi Arabia, to Japan its a different story
Posted by: lord garth   2019-06-13 16:14  

#12  Relying on ME oil is stupid

Perhaps we should start buying Israeli oil they no longer ship to Gaza.
Posted by: Skidmark   2019-06-13 15:00  

#11  A proper response might be an accidental impact of a meteor on a certain supreme mullah's estate.
Posted by: 3dc   2019-06-13 14:11  

#10  Relying on ME oil is stupid

Yes, but doesn't graft cancel stupid?
Posted by: gorb   2019-06-13 13:02  

#9  Relying on ME oil is stupid
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2019-06-13 11:41  

#8  Mercutio, Darth Vader — when you get down to the Syria section of page 1, you’ll find we have that story. This is, after all, Rantburg. ;-)
Posted by: trailing wife   2019-06-13 09:52  

#7  "Britain has urged 'extreme caution' ". Sounds like a motion to dither this.
Posted by: Dale   2019-06-13 09:52  

#6  Gut says Israel. Trump would have torched 60 boats...bless his heart.
Posted by: Mercutio   2019-06-13 09:03  

#5  Was just going to post that too. Wonder who's special forces hit that. The US or Israel?
Posted by: DarthVader   2019-06-13 09:01  

#4  then there's this

http://jcpa.org/mysterious-blazes-on-six-iranian-ships-in-iranian-ports/
Posted by: Mercutio   2019-06-13 08:57  

#3  Awfully close to Iran. Well within range of their speed boats.
Posted by: DarthVader   2019-06-13 08:46  

#2  Gulf of Tonkin, Herb?
Posted by: Frank G   2019-06-13 08:33  

#1  And as Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets Iran's Supreme Leader today in an effort to defuse the crisis, while Tokyo revealed that the two tankers had been carrying 'Japan-related cargo

Seems kinda counter-productive; wonder if there is some factional infighting going on...
Posted by: Mercutio   2019-06-13 08:00  

00:00