US official says it's 'highly likely' Iran was behind 'torpedo' attack in the Gulf of Oman, as tanker industry chief warns 'oil supply to entire Western world could be at risk' if the straits are deemed unsafe (20 Pics)

Iran is 'highly likely' to have caused the explosions which hit two tankers in the Gulf of Oman today, the U.S. is said to believe - amid fears that repeated attacks on ships could put the West's oil supply under threat.  
A fireball erupted on the Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair after a suspected torpedo attack caused three explosions, forcing the crew to abandon ship. 
Sailors on the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous also had to flee after it was hit by another explosion, in a pair of apparent attacks today which have left the Middle East on high alert.   
Britain has urged 'extreme caution' amid spiralling tensions in the region, weeks after Saudi tankers were attacked in a mysterious act of sabotage off the UAE coast which Washington believes was the work of Iran
Warning that the Gulf's waters are 'becoming unsafe', tanker industry chief Paolo d'Amico said that 'the oil supply to the entire Western world could be at risk' - as 30 per cent of the world's crude oil passes through the area. 
Tehran has said it is 'suspicious' about the timing of the explosions during a visit by Japan's leader Shinzo Abe but Washington has again pointed the finger at Iran. 
Inferno: A fire rages on board the oil tanker MT Front Altair after it was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman today, in what has been described as a torpedo attack

Inferno: A fire rages on board the oil tanker MT Front Altair after it was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman today, in what has been described as a torpedo attack 
Smoke pours from the Norwegian-owned oil tanker on Thursday after it was hit by an explosion near the UAE and Iran in an apparent attack which has put the Middle East on high alert

Smoke pours from the Norwegian-owned oil tanker on Thursday after it was hit by an explosion near the UAE and Iran in an apparent attack which has put the Middle East on high alert 
One of the oil tankers burns in the Gulf of Oman today following an apparent attack on the two vessels, just four weeks after similar acts of sabotage against Saudi ships renewed tensions in the Middle East

One of the oil tankers burns in the Gulf of Oman today following an apparent attack on the two vessels, just four weeks after similar acts of sabotage against Saudi ships renewed tensions in the Middle East




A map showing the approximate location of the two ships which were seemingly attacked in the Gulf of Oman today in the latest Middle East flashpoint 
In the early hours of this morning, two vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz towards the Indian Ocean caught fire.
The ships were struck in the same strategic sea lane where four oil vessels were sabotaged last month in attacks Washington blamed on Tehran.
Today a U.S. national security official told CBS News that it was 'highly likely Iran caused these attacks'.  
In an official response the U.S. ambassador to the UN called the explosions 'unacceptable' while the White House said President Trump has been briefed and American ally Saudi Arabia called it a 'major escalation'.
Iran said the attacks aroused suspicion because they came as Japanese leader Shinzo Abe met the Islamic Republic's supreme leader today in an effort to defuse the crisis. 
'Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning,' said Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif. 
Tokyo also revealed that the two tankers had been carrying 'Japan-related cargo'.  
Mr Abe had warned yesterday that the tense Middle East standoff, which has seen furious exchanges between America and Iran, could lead to an 'accidental' war. 
His talks with Iran's supreme leader appeared to take a wrong turn today as the Ayatollah said Tehran would 'never repeat' negotiations with the U.S. However, Abe said Khamenei assured him that Iran has no intention to produce, possess or use nuclear arms.
Meanwhile Russia said it was too early to say who was behind the explosions. 
There was also some dispute over who had rescued the 44 sailors, as Iran initially claimed to have taken them to safety but the Japanese owner of Kokuka said the ship's crew were rescued by a Dutch vessel, then taken to a U.S. warship.  
As the political reprisals began, dramatic pictures emerged of the fireball which erupted on the MT Front Altair on Thursday morning.  
The Taiwanese oil refiner which chartered the Marshall Islands-flagged Altair said the ship was 'suspected of being hit by a torpedo'. 
The Marshall Islands are an 'associated state' of the U.S.  
Reports said the Front Altair, travelling from Qatar to Taiwan, had suffered three explosions and caught fire after a 'surface attack'. 
Iranian news agency IRNA claimed that the ship had sunk, but its Norwegian owner Frontline insisted it was still afloat. 
Its crew of 23 were picked up by nearby vessel Hyundai Dubai. 
The crew was made up of 11 Russians, one Georgian and 11 Filipinos, International Tanker Management said.  
This satellite image shows the view from above as a fireball erupts from one of the oil tankers in an apparent attack today

This satellite image shows the view from above as a fireball erupts from one of the oil tankers in an apparent attack today 
Another overhead view shows a billowing cloud of smoke over the water after what was described as a torpedo attack

Another overhead view shows a billowing cloud of smoke over the water after what was described as a torpedo attack 
One of the tankers burns at sea in a pair of blasts which Iran has called 'suspicious' because the Japanese PM is visiting today

One of the tankers burns at sea in a pair of blasts which Iran has called 'suspicious' because the Japanese PM is visiting today
The Altair had been loaded at a port in the Gulf with a petroleum product known as naphtha, and was on its way to the Far East. 
The Altair's cargo was worth more than $30million, according to estimates from trade sources.  
Meanwhile, a shipping broker said the Kokuka, which flies under Panama's flag, had suffered an explosion after an 'outside attack' which may have involved a magnetic mine. 
The company operating the ship, which was heading to Singapore, said the attack had caused 'damage to the ship's hull starboard side.'
The Kokuka's 21 crew were picked up by the nearby Vessel Coastal Ace, leaving the tanker adrift and empty after an engine room fire.   
One of the crew members was slightly injured in the incident and received first aid on board the Coastal Ace, while the Kokuka's methanol cargo is said to be intact. 
Iran said its search and rescue teams had picked up the 44 sailors from the two ships and taken them to the port of Jask, although the U.S. disputes this.  
Commander Joshua Frey, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, said his command was 'aware' of a reported incident in the area. 
The fleet received one distress call at 6.12am local time and another one at 7am and the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge offered assistance.
Norway has advised its ships to 'stay well clear of Iranian waters until further notice'. 




This picture released by Iran's state broadcaster showed one of the oil tankers on fire in the Gulf of Oman today after a suspected attack 
Another image released by Iran showed smoke pouring from one of the ships, which were said to have been targeted by torpedoes and magnetic mines

Another image released by Iran showed smoke pouring from one of the ships, which were said to have been targeted by torpedoes and magnetic mines 


This diagram shows the movement of the two ships, travelling from left to right with their courses charted in green, before reaching the points (in red) where they were hit by explosions

This diagram shows the movement of the two ships, travelling from left to right with their courses charted in green, before reaching the points (in red) where they were hit by explosions
This picture purports to show the stricken Front Altair on fire after it was attacked in the Gulf of Oman today. The photo was said to be taken from a nearby vessel

This picture purports to show the stricken Front Altair on fire after it was attacked in the Gulf of Oman today. The photo was said to be taken from a nearby vessel 
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy, put out the first alert this morning. 
The UK Government later said: 'We are deeply concerned by reports of explosions and fires on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. We are in contact with local authorities and partners in the region.' 
Britain is prepared to assist in any rescue effort or investigation over the 'completely unacceptable' suspected attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, Downing Street has said. 
The co-ordinates offered for the incident by the UK group put it some 25 miles off the Iranian coastline.  
Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko said there had been 'Japan-related' cargo on board the vessels. Japan, a U.S. ally, is was big importer of Iranian oil until Washington ratcheted up sanctions. 
Meanwhile Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov cautioned against blaming Iran. 
'Lately we have been seeing a strengthening campaign of political, psychological and military pressure on Iran. We wouldn't want the events that have just happened, which are tragic and shook the world oil market, to be used speculatively to further aggravate the situation in an anti-Iranian sense,' he said. 
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the world cannot afford a major confrontation in the Persian Gulf region.
Speaking to the security council today he demanded that 'facts must be established' and said: 'I strongly condemn any attack against civilian vessels'. 
The European Union called for 'maximum restraint' to avoid a regional escalation.
Benchmark Brent crude oil spiked four per cent in trading following the reported attack to more than 62 dollars a barrel, according to early market figures. 
High tensions in the Middle East, and belligerent rhetoric from Washington and Tehran, have sparked fears that any sudden movement could escalate into a war. 



One shipping broker said the Kokuka Courageous (file photo), one of the ships apparently attacked in the Middle East today, may have been targeted with a magnetic mine

The Taiwanese oil refiner which chartered the Front Altair (file photo) said the ship was 'suspected of being hit by a torpedo'
Last month the U.S. deployed B-52 bombers and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to shore up its military presence in the region. 
The apparent attack today will send tensions spiralling further as Japan's prime minister visits Iran in a bid to calm the situation. 
On Wednesday, after talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Shinzo Abe warned that any 'accidental conflict' that could be sparked amid the heightened US-Iran tensions must be avoided. 
But his talks with Iran faced a setback today as the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Tehran would 'in no way repeat' negotiations with the U.S. 
The Ayatollah said today that U.S. 'couldn't do anything' to stop his country developing nuclear weapons. 
He also took aim at Donald Trump and said he did not believe the U.S. President's offer of 'honest negotiations'.   
Mr Abe is the first sitting Japanese prime minister to visit Tehran since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. 
Last month Houthi forces claimed responsibility for sabotaging Saudi oil tankers in the Gulf of Yemen. 
Saudi and UAE officials were tight-lipped about the extent of the damage but pictures showed at least one tanker with a hole in its hull. 
The mysterious sabotage sent tensions soaring in the Middle East as the U.S. blamed Iran and its allies for the attack - which divers said appeared to be the work of magnetic explosives.  
Matters worsened after two pumping stations on a major Saudi oil pipeline were attacked by explosive-laden drones, halting the flow of crude along it.  
The incidents sparked fears of a Gulf war breaking out 'by accident' with the U.S. and Iranian militaries on high alert amid high tensions between Washington and Tehran. 
Mr Abe's warning yesterday also came just hours after Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels attacked a Saudi airport, wounding 26 people.
The Saudi-led coalition which is fighting the Houthis in Yemen immediately pointed the blame at Iran, saying Tehran had equipped the rebel group with 'advanced weapons'.
Saudi officials said the attack 'proves this terrorist militia's acquisition of new special weapons' [and] the continuation of the Iranian regime's support and practice of cross-border terrorism.' 
A rebel TV network acknowledged the attack and said Houthi forces had fired a cruise missile.    
The latest crisis erupted after Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani threatened to abandon the 2015 nuclear deal with the West, which is faltering already after Donald Trump pulled out of it last year. 
Tehran has demanded that the UK, France, Germany, China and Russia help Iran to dodge U.S. sanctions, which were restored last year when Donald Trump quit the pact. 
Speaking last month Rouhani said Iran would ramp up nuclear enrichment if such help did not materialise.
But the White House condemned what it called Iran's attempted 'nuclear blackmail of Europe' and warned: 'Expect more sanctions soon. Very soon.'  
The threat also sparked a backlash from Israel, where Benjamin Netanyahu warned he would 'not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons'. 
US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Iranian mines were almost certainly behind the May 12 attacks, but declined to provide evidence.
The UAE said last week that initial findings of a five-nation investigation indicated a state was likely behind the attacks, but added there was no evidence yet of Iranian involvement.
Donald Trump's White House has not ruled out military action against Iran, although both sides insist they do not want a war. 
A week after the May 12 attacks, President Trump warned that if Iran attacks American interests 'that will be the official end of Iran'.
Zarif retorted that 'genocidal taunts' would not 'end Iran'.
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said there 'won't be any war' while U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. 'fundamentally does not seek any war'.  
The 2015 deal, which then-President Barack Obama helped to negotiate, saw sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme.
After the US withdrew from the accord it restored crippling sanctions on Iran, exacerbating a severe economic crisis.    
European powers have tried to find ways to blunt the impact of new U.S. sanctions, in the hope of persuading Tehran to continue to abide by the deal.
However, their efforts have largely failed, with all major European companies abandoning plans to do business with Iran for fear of U.S. punishment.    
Rouhani slammed European countries for seeing the US as the world's 'sheriff' and said this keeps them from making 'firm decisions for their own national interests.'  
 Under terms of the deal, Iran can keep a stockpile of no more than 300kg of low-enriched uranium, compared with 10,000kg of higher-enriched uranium it once had.
Washington has effectively ordered countries around the world to stop buying any Iranian oil or face sanctions of their own.  
US official says it's 'highly likely' Iran was behind 'torpedo' attack in the Gulf of Oman, as tanker industry chief warns 'oil supply to entire Western world could be at risk' if the straits are deemed unsafe (20 Pics) US official says it's 'highly likely' Iran was behind 'torpedo' attack in the Gulf of Oman, as tanker industry chief warns 'oil supply to entire Western world could be at risk' if the straits are deemed unsafe (20 Pics) Reviewed by CUZZ BLUE on June 13, 2019 Rating: 5

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