WAR Main Persian Gulf Trouble thread
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US, UK and Israel blame Iran for ship attack; Tehran denies
The United States has joined the United Kingdom and Israel in accusing Iran of carrying out a deadly drone strike that killed two aboard a tanker off Oman
By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press
1 August 2021, 11:22
The Associated Press
This Jan. 2, 2016 photo shows the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Mercer Street off Cape Town, South Africa. The oil tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire reportedly came under attack off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea, authorities said Friday, July 30, 2021, as details about the incident remained few. (Johan Victor via AP)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The United States and the United Kingdom joined Israel on Sunday in alleging Iran carried out a fatal drone strike on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea, putting further pressure on Tehran as it denied being involved in the assault.
Calling it a “unlawful and callous attack,” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said his country and its allies planned a coordinated response over the strike Thursday night on the oil tanker Mercer Street. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken soon followed, saying there was “no justification for this attack, which follows a pattern of attacks and other belligerent behavior.”
The strike on the Mercer Street marked the first-known fatal attack after years of assaults on commercial shipping in the region linked to tensions with Iran over its tattered nuclear deal.
While no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, Iran and its militia allies have used so-called “suicide” drones in attacks previously, which crash into targets and detonate their explosive payloads. However, Israel, the U.K. and the responding U.S. Navy have yet to show physical evidence from the strike or offer intelligence information on why they blame Tehran.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett went further than Blinken and Raab in his remarks Sunday at a Cabinet meeting, making a point to stare directly into the camera and slowly warn: “We know, at any rate, know how to convey the message to Iran in our own way.”
The drone attack blasted a hole through the top of the oil tanker’s bridge, where the captain and crew command the vessel, a U.S. official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as an investigation into the attack still was ongoing. The blast killed two crew members from the United Kingdom and Romania.
The Navy said the American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and the guided missile destroyer USS Mitscher had escorted the Mercer Street as it headed to a safe port. On Sunday, satellite-tracking information from MarineTraffic.com showed the tanker stopped off the coast of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.
In his statement, Raab said it was “highly likely” Iran attacked the tanker with one or more drones.
“We believe this attack was deliberate, targeted and a clear violation of international law by Iran,” he said. “Iran must end such attacks, and vessels must be allowed to navigate freely in accordance with international law.”
Blinken similarly described the U.S. as “confident” Iran carried out the attack, using multiple drones.
“These actions threaten freedom of navigation through this crucial waterway, international shipping and commerce, and the lives of those on the vessels involved,” he said in a statement.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh described the allegation Iran carried out the attack as “baseless."
“It’s not the first time that the Zionist regime occupying Jerusalem has made such empty accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Khatibzadeh said. “Wherever this regime has gone, it has taken instability, terror and violence with it.”
He added: “Whoever sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind.”
Khatibzadeh spoke around an hour after Iran’s outgoing president acknowledged that his government at times “did not tell part of the truth” to the public during his term.
From Jerusalem, Bennett offered condolences to both the United Kingdom and Romania for the killing of their citizens. He said Israeli intelligence had evidence linking Iran to the attack, but did not offer it.
“Iran is the one who carried out the attack against the ship,” he said. “Iran’s aggressive behavior is dangerous not only for Israel, but harms global interests in the freedom of navigation and international trade.”
Other Israel-linked ships have been targeted in recent months as well amid a shadow war between the two nations, with Israeli officials blaming the Islamic Republic for the assaults. Shipping in the region began being targeted in the summer of 2019, about a year after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers.
Israel meanwhile has been suspected of conducting a series of major attacks in Iran and on Iranian shipping. Also, Iran saw its largest warship recently sink under mysterious circumstances in the nearby Gulf of Oman.
The Mercer Street, owned by Japan's Taihei Kaiun Co., is managed by London-based Zodiac Maritime, part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. In early July, the Liberian-flagged container ship CSAV Tyndall, once tied to Zodiac Maritime, suffered an unexplained explosion on board while in the northern Indian Ocean, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.
The attack marks the first major confrontation with Iran for Bennett, who took over as premier in June after a coalition deal unseated Israel’s long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu is suspected of launching a series of attacks targeting Iran, including explosions at the country’s main enrichment site and the killing of a prominent military nuclear scientist.
However, Bennett as well has made hawkish comments in the past about needing to attack “the head of the octopus” in Tehran as opposed to Iran’s regional militias like Hezbollah in Lebanon. The attack on the Mercer Street marks the first during his time as prime minister and analysts suggest he could seek a major attack in retaliation.
“Israel may wish to deliver a resounding blow; that’s the spirit of political sources’ comments in Jerusalem,” wrote Amos Harel, a longtime military analyst for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. “This blow will be aimed at ending things without a tit-for-tat that could escalate. But as usual, events also depend on the other side.”
———
Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Ilan Ben Zion and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
US, UK and Israel blame Iran for ship attack; Tehran denies - ABC News (go.com)
The United States has joined the United Kingdom and Israel in accusing Iran of carrying out a deadly drone strike that killed two aboard a tanker off Oman
By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press
1 August 2021, 11:22
This Jan. 2, 2016 photo shows the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Mercer Street off Cape Town, South Africa. The oil tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire reportedly came under attack off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea, authorities said Friday, July 30, 2021, as details about the incident remained few. (Johan Victor via AP)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The United States and the United Kingdom joined Israel on Sunday in alleging Iran carried out a fatal drone strike on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea, putting further pressure on Tehran as it denied being involved in the assault.
Calling it a “unlawful and callous attack,” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said his country and its allies planned a coordinated response over the strike Thursday night on the oil tanker Mercer Street. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken soon followed, saying there was “no justification for this attack, which follows a pattern of attacks and other belligerent behavior.”
The strike on the Mercer Street marked the first-known fatal attack after years of assaults on commercial shipping in the region linked to tensions with Iran over its tattered nuclear deal.
While no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, Iran and its militia allies have used so-called “suicide” drones in attacks previously, which crash into targets and detonate their explosive payloads. However, Israel, the U.K. and the responding U.S. Navy have yet to show physical evidence from the strike or offer intelligence information on why they blame Tehran.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett went further than Blinken and Raab in his remarks Sunday at a Cabinet meeting, making a point to stare directly into the camera and slowly warn: “We know, at any rate, know how to convey the message to Iran in our own way.”
The drone attack blasted a hole through the top of the oil tanker’s bridge, where the captain and crew command the vessel, a U.S. official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as an investigation into the attack still was ongoing. The blast killed two crew members from the United Kingdom and Romania.
The Navy said the American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and the guided missile destroyer USS Mitscher had escorted the Mercer Street as it headed to a safe port. On Sunday, satellite-tracking information from MarineTraffic.com showed the tanker stopped off the coast of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.
In his statement, Raab said it was “highly likely” Iran attacked the tanker with one or more drones.
“We believe this attack was deliberate, targeted and a clear violation of international law by Iran,” he said. “Iran must end such attacks, and vessels must be allowed to navigate freely in accordance with international law.”
Blinken similarly described the U.S. as “confident” Iran carried out the attack, using multiple drones.
“These actions threaten freedom of navigation through this crucial waterway, international shipping and commerce, and the lives of those on the vessels involved,” he said in a statement.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh described the allegation Iran carried out the attack as “baseless."
“It’s not the first time that the Zionist regime occupying Jerusalem has made such empty accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Khatibzadeh said. “Wherever this regime has gone, it has taken instability, terror and violence with it.”
He added: “Whoever sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind.”
Khatibzadeh spoke around an hour after Iran’s outgoing president acknowledged that his government at times “did not tell part of the truth” to the public during his term.
From Jerusalem, Bennett offered condolences to both the United Kingdom and Romania for the killing of their citizens. He said Israeli intelligence had evidence linking Iran to the attack, but did not offer it.
“Iran is the one who carried out the attack against the ship,” he said. “Iran’s aggressive behavior is dangerous not only for Israel, but harms global interests in the freedom of navigation and international trade.”
Other Israel-linked ships have been targeted in recent months as well amid a shadow war between the two nations, with Israeli officials blaming the Islamic Republic for the assaults. Shipping in the region began being targeted in the summer of 2019, about a year after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers.
Israel meanwhile has been suspected of conducting a series of major attacks in Iran and on Iranian shipping. Also, Iran saw its largest warship recently sink under mysterious circumstances in the nearby Gulf of Oman.
The Mercer Street, owned by Japan's Taihei Kaiun Co., is managed by London-based Zodiac Maritime, part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. In early July, the Liberian-flagged container ship CSAV Tyndall, once tied to Zodiac Maritime, suffered an unexplained explosion on board while in the northern Indian Ocean, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.
The attack marks the first major confrontation with Iran for Bennett, who took over as premier in June after a coalition deal unseated Israel’s long-serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu is suspected of launching a series of attacks targeting Iran, including explosions at the country’s main enrichment site and the killing of a prominent military nuclear scientist.
However, Bennett as well has made hawkish comments in the past about needing to attack “the head of the octopus” in Tehran as opposed to Iran’s regional militias like Hezbollah in Lebanon. The attack on the Mercer Street marks the first during his time as prime minister and analysts suggest he could seek a major attack in retaliation.
“Israel may wish to deliver a resounding blow; that’s the spirit of political sources’ comments in Jerusalem,” wrote Amos Harel, a longtime military analyst for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. “This blow will be aimed at ending things without a tit-for-tat that could escalate. But as usual, events also depend on the other side.”
———
Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Ilan Ben Zion and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
US, UK and Israel blame Iran for ship attack; Tehran denies - ABC News (go.com)
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Breaking Iran seizes oil tanker in the gulf
View: https://mobile.twitter.com/IranIntl_En/status/1422609726756593667
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British navy group: 'Potential hijack' of ship off UAE coast
The British navy has warned of a “potential hijack” of a ship off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf of Oman, without elaborating
By ISABEL DEBRE and JON GAMBRELL Associated Press
3 August 2021, 11:12
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The British navy warned Tuesday of a “potential hijack” of a ship off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf of Oman, without elaborating.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the West over its tattered nuclear deal and as commercial shipping in the region has found itself in the crosshairs over it. Most recently, the U.S., the U.K. and Israel have blamed Iran for a drone attack on an oil tanker off Oman that killed two people. Iran has denied being involved.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations initially warned ships Tuesday that “an incident is currently underway" off the coast of Fujairah. Hours later, they said the incident was a “potential hijack.” They did not elaborate.
The U.S. military’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet and the British Defense Ministry did not immediately return calls for comment. The Emirati government did not immediately acknowledge the incident.
Earlier, six oil tankers announced around the same time via their Automatic Identification System trackers that they were “not under command,” according to MarineTraffic.com. That typically means a vessel has lost power and can no longer steer.
“At the same time, if they are in the same vicinity and in the same place, then very rarely that happens,” said Ranjith Raja, an oil and shipping expert with data firm Refintiv. “Not all the vessels would lose their engines or their capability to steer at the same time."
One of the vessels later began moving.
An Oman Royal Air Force Airbus C-295MPA, a maritime patrol aircraft, flew in circles for hours over the area where the ships were, according to data from FlightRadar24.com.
Apparently responding to the incident, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as calling the recent maritime attacks in the region “completely suspicious.” He denied that Iran was involved.
"Iran’s naval forces are ready for help and rescue in the region,” Khatibzadeh said.
The event comes just days after a drone struck an oil tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire off the coast of Oman, killing two crew members. The West blamed Iran for the attack, which marked the first known assault to have killed civilians in the yearslong shadow war targeting commercial vessels in the region.
Iran denied playing any role in the incident, though Tehran and its allied militias have used similar “suicide” drones in attacks previously.
Israel, the United States and United Kingdom vowed a “collective response” to the attack, without elaborating.
The Gulf of Oman is near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil passes. Fujairah, on the UAE’s eastern coast, is a main port in the region for ships to take on new oil cargo, pick up supplies or trade out crew.
Since 2019, the waters off Fujairah have seen a series of explosions and hijackings. The U.S. Navy blamed Iran for a series of limpet mine attacks on vessels that damaged tankers.
Also in 2019, Iran seized the British-flagged Stena Impero on July 19 in the Strait of Hormuz as it was headed from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas to Dubai. The raid came after authorities in Gibraltar, a British overseas territory, seized an Iranian supertanker carrying $130 million in crude oil on suspicion it was breaking European Union sanctions by taking the oil to Syria. Both vessels were later released.
In July of last year, an oil tanker sought by the U.S. over allegedly circumventing sanctions on Iran was hijacked off the Emirati coast, following months of tensions between Iran and the U.S. The vessel and its crew ended up in Iran, though Tehran never acknowledged the incident.
And in January, armed Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops stormed a South Korean tanker and forced the ship to change course and travel to Iran. While Iran insisted it stopped the ship for polluting, it came as Tehran sought to increase its leverage over Seoul ahead of negotiations over billions of dollars in Iranian assets frozen in South Korean banks.
———
Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.
———
Follow Isabel DeBre and Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/isabeldebre and www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.
British navy group: 'Potential hijack' of ship off UAE coast - ABC News (go.com)
The British navy has warned of a “potential hijack” of a ship off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf of Oman, without elaborating
By ISABEL DEBRE and JON GAMBRELL Associated Press
3 August 2021, 11:12
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The British navy warned Tuesday of a “potential hijack” of a ship off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf of Oman, without elaborating.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the West over its tattered nuclear deal and as commercial shipping in the region has found itself in the crosshairs over it. Most recently, the U.S., the U.K. and Israel have blamed Iran for a drone attack on an oil tanker off Oman that killed two people. Iran has denied being involved.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations initially warned ships Tuesday that “an incident is currently underway" off the coast of Fujairah. Hours later, they said the incident was a “potential hijack.” They did not elaborate.
The U.S. military’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet and the British Defense Ministry did not immediately return calls for comment. The Emirati government did not immediately acknowledge the incident.
Earlier, six oil tankers announced around the same time via their Automatic Identification System trackers that they were “not under command,” according to MarineTraffic.com. That typically means a vessel has lost power and can no longer steer.
“At the same time, if they are in the same vicinity and in the same place, then very rarely that happens,” said Ranjith Raja, an oil and shipping expert with data firm Refintiv. “Not all the vessels would lose their engines or their capability to steer at the same time."
One of the vessels later began moving.
An Oman Royal Air Force Airbus C-295MPA, a maritime patrol aircraft, flew in circles for hours over the area where the ships were, according to data from FlightRadar24.com.
Apparently responding to the incident, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh as calling the recent maritime attacks in the region “completely suspicious.” He denied that Iran was involved.
"Iran’s naval forces are ready for help and rescue in the region,” Khatibzadeh said.
The event comes just days after a drone struck an oil tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire off the coast of Oman, killing two crew members. The West blamed Iran for the attack, which marked the first known assault to have killed civilians in the yearslong shadow war targeting commercial vessels in the region.
Iran denied playing any role in the incident, though Tehran and its allied militias have used similar “suicide” drones in attacks previously.
Israel, the United States and United Kingdom vowed a “collective response” to the attack, without elaborating.
The Gulf of Oman is near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil passes. Fujairah, on the UAE’s eastern coast, is a main port in the region for ships to take on new oil cargo, pick up supplies or trade out crew.
Since 2019, the waters off Fujairah have seen a series of explosions and hijackings. The U.S. Navy blamed Iran for a series of limpet mine attacks on vessels that damaged tankers.
Also in 2019, Iran seized the British-flagged Stena Impero on July 19 in the Strait of Hormuz as it was headed from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas to Dubai. The raid came after authorities in Gibraltar, a British overseas territory, seized an Iranian supertanker carrying $130 million in crude oil on suspicion it was breaking European Union sanctions by taking the oil to Syria. Both vessels were later released.
In July of last year, an oil tanker sought by the U.S. over allegedly circumventing sanctions on Iran was hijacked off the Emirati coast, following months of tensions between Iran and the U.S. The vessel and its crew ended up in Iran, though Tehran never acknowledged the incident.
And in January, armed Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops stormed a South Korean tanker and forced the ship to change course and travel to Iran. While Iran insisted it stopped the ship for polluting, it came as Tehran sought to increase its leverage over Seoul ahead of negotiations over billions of dollars in Iranian assets frozen in South Korean banks.
———
Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.
———
Follow Isabel DeBre and Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/isabeldebre and www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.
British navy group: 'Potential hijack' of ship off UAE coast - ABC News (go.com)
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The question is "who owns the ship?"
danielboon
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I suppose we will find out soon
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British Littoral Response Group ships to be based in Oman
By George Allison
UK Defence Journal
July 30, 2021
First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said in a video update the Littoral Response Group will operate out of Duqm.
The specific section of the video can be found here.
The UK will operate two Littoral Response Groups, one deploying to the Euro-Atlantic region and the other deploying to the Indo-Pacific.
This was outlined in the Defence command paper (essentially a defence review) published earlier this year.
“The Royal Navy will be a constant global presence, with more ships, submarines, sailors and marines deployed on an enduring basis, including to protect shipping lanes and uphold freedom of navigation. With support from partners in the Indo-Pacific, Offshore Patrol Vessels will be persistently deployed and a Littoral Response Group (LRG) in 2023 will complement the episodic deployment of our Carrier Strike Group; contributing to regional security and assurance.
This will be enabled by the deployment of two Littoral Response Groups; the first in 2021 will be deployed to the Euro-Atlantic under a NATO and JEF construct, while a second will be deployed to the Indo-Pacific region in 2023. They will also be able to deliver training to our partners in regions of the world where maritime security is most challenging.”
What is a Littoral Response Group?
The Defence Command Paper defines a Littoral Response Group as “A bespoke force assigned to a geographical area, that contains dedicated shipping, helicopters and boats”.
In fact, the UK has already practised this deployment. More than 1,000 sailors and Royal Marines sailed to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea aboard amphibious assault ship HMS Albion, destroyer HMS Dragon and amphibious support ship RFA Lyme Bay.
The Royal Navy say that while deployed the ships tested the new and experimental Littoral Response Group concept (which replaces the UK’s long-standing Amphibious Task Group) and shape the Future Commando Force and evolution of the Royal Marines into a hi-tech raiding and strike force.
In addition, a Bay class vessel will be converted to deliver greater littoral strike capalities at a cost of £40 million.
“The Royal Navy will invest £40m more over the next four years to develop our Future Commando Force as part of the transformation of our amphibious forces, as well as more than £50m in converting a Bay class support ship to deliver a more agile and lethal littoral strike capability. Forward deployed to respond rapidly to crises, this special operations capable force will operate alongside our allies and partners in areas of UK interest, ready to strike from the sea, pre empt and deter sub threshold activity, and counter state threats. This will be enabled by the deployment of two Littoral Response Groups; the first in 2021 will be deployed to the Euro Atlantic under a NATO and JEF construct, while a second will be deployed to the Indo Pacific region in 2023.”
For more a more in-depth look at the By class as part of the Littoral Response Group, I’d recommend heading over to NavyLookout by clicking here or clicking below.
British Littoral Response Group ships to be based in Oman (ukdefencejournal.org.uk)
By George Allison
UK Defence Journal
July 30, 2021
First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said in a video update the Littoral Response Group will operate out of Duqm.
The specific section of the video can be found here.
The UK will operate two Littoral Response Groups, one deploying to the Euro-Atlantic region and the other deploying to the Indo-Pacific.
This was outlined in the Defence command paper (essentially a defence review) published earlier this year.
“The Royal Navy will be a constant global presence, with more ships, submarines, sailors and marines deployed on an enduring basis, including to protect shipping lanes and uphold freedom of navigation. With support from partners in the Indo-Pacific, Offshore Patrol Vessels will be persistently deployed and a Littoral Response Group (LRG) in 2023 will complement the episodic deployment of our Carrier Strike Group; contributing to regional security and assurance.
This will be enabled by the deployment of two Littoral Response Groups; the first in 2021 will be deployed to the Euro-Atlantic under a NATO and JEF construct, while a second will be deployed to the Indo-Pacific region in 2023. They will also be able to deliver training to our partners in regions of the world where maritime security is most challenging.”
What is a Littoral Response Group?
The Defence Command Paper defines a Littoral Response Group as “A bespoke force assigned to a geographical area, that contains dedicated shipping, helicopters and boats”.
In fact, the UK has already practised this deployment. More than 1,000 sailors and Royal Marines sailed to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea aboard amphibious assault ship HMS Albion, destroyer HMS Dragon and amphibious support ship RFA Lyme Bay.
The Royal Navy say that while deployed the ships tested the new and experimental Littoral Response Group concept (which replaces the UK’s long-standing Amphibious Task Group) and shape the Future Commando Force and evolution of the Royal Marines into a hi-tech raiding and strike force.
In addition, a Bay class vessel will be converted to deliver greater littoral strike capalities at a cost of £40 million.
“The Royal Navy will invest £40m more over the next four years to develop our Future Commando Force as part of the transformation of our amphibious forces, as well as more than £50m in converting a Bay class support ship to deliver a more agile and lethal littoral strike capability. Forward deployed to respond rapidly to crises, this special operations capable force will operate alongside our allies and partners in areas of UK interest, ready to strike from the sea, pre empt and deter sub threshold activity, and counter state threats. This will be enabled by the deployment of two Littoral Response Groups; the first in 2021 will be deployed to the Euro Atlantic under a NATO and JEF construct, while a second will be deployed to the Indo Pacific region in 2023.”
For more a more in-depth look at the By class as part of the Littoral Response Group, I’d recommend heading over to NavyLookout by clicking here or clicking below.
British Littoral Response Group ships to be based in Oman (ukdefencejournal.org.uk)
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danielboon
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I wonder what the UK is going to do now that the ship is headed toward Iran View: https://mobile.twitter.com/Simon85205764/status/1422635424971993088
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EKTAKTO- Rapid escalation: Iran hit four ships - Captured with special forces resaltoone! Informs the Security Council of Israel
03/08/2021 - 22:14
War News 24/7
Columnist: Vasilis Kapoulas
In an extreme war move, Iran went ahead by hitting four ships in the Arabian Sea and capturing one.
Eight or nine men of Iran's special forces carried out a resalto on the tanker and captured it.
Military sources say the attack was carried out by the Iranian Guards in an effort to negotiate and prevent any attack by Israel and the US with a vehicle for freedom of navigation."
Iranian Guards captured the ship Asphalt Princess
A short time ago, the company confirmed that the Panama-flagged ship "Asphalt Princess" was captured in the Arabian Sea heading for the Straits of Hormuz.
The attack took place off the coast of the United States in the Sea of Oman. According to initial information, the Iranian Guards have seized at least one ship and driven it to Iran.
The remaining three ships have been damaged by mines and must have been subjected to a "cyber attack" as the captains said they were "not in control of the ship".
In the area it flies C-295 of Oman on a SAR mission.
Breathless Middle East: Israel and allies will attack Iran – Photos of the bombed ship
Four ships hit Iran
Military sources said the Iranian Guards tried to seize all four ships, including the GOLDEN BRILLIANT which was hit by a mine near Fujairah port.
Shortly afterwards, the "Golden Brilliant" tanker reported being "out of control" in the Gulf of Oman. This means that "the ship could not perform manoeuvres, which happens in exceptional cases".
Israeli media are reporting that "the crews of four ships located near the coast of Iran are in control this afternoon. British sources noted that this was piracy by the Iranian Guards."
Iran Closes Its Airspace
Israel's Ministry of Defense, B. Gantz, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lapid will tomorrow inform the ambassadors of the permanent members of the UN Security Council of the attacks on Iran.
Iran is preparing for conflict. NOTAM is closing the airspace of Tehran's ports tomorrow for fear of drone strikes.
Iran is blocking the GNSS satellite navigation system to prevent any retaliation from Israel! With NOTAM it issued reports that GPS signals will be blocked north of Iran by 7.30pm on August 5. Pilots are advised to rely on their INS while flying over Tehran.
At the same time, the Iranian Guards will begin two-day ballistic missile drills over fears of an attack by Israel.
The country's air defenses are on war alert.
EasyWatch Security - EasyWatch Security
EKTAKTO- Rapid escalation: Iran hit four ships - Captured with special forces resalto one! - WarNews247
03/08/2021 - 22:14
War News 24/7
Columnist: Vasilis Kapoulas
In an extreme war move, Iran went ahead by hitting four ships in the Arabian Sea and capturing one.
Eight or nine men of Iran's special forces carried out a resalto on the tanker and captured it.
Military sources say the attack was carried out by the Iranian Guards in an effort to negotiate and prevent any attack by Israel and the US with a vehicle for freedom of navigation."
Iranian Guards captured the ship Asphalt Princess
A short time ago, the company confirmed that the Panama-flagged ship "Asphalt Princess" was captured in the Arabian Sea heading for the Straits of Hormuz.
The attack took place off the coast of the United States in the Sea of Oman. According to initial information, the Iranian Guards have seized at least one ship and driven it to Iran.
The remaining three ships have been damaged by mines and must have been subjected to a "cyber attack" as the captains said they were "not in control of the ship".
In the area it flies C-295 of Oman on a SAR mission.
Breathless Middle East: Israel and allies will attack Iran – Photos of the bombed ship
Four ships hit Iran
Military sources said the Iranian Guards tried to seize all four ships, including the GOLDEN BRILLIANT which was hit by a mine near Fujairah port.
Shortly afterwards, the "Golden Brilliant" tanker reported being "out of control" in the Gulf of Oman. This means that "the ship could not perform manoeuvres, which happens in exceptional cases".
Israeli media are reporting that "the crews of four ships located near the coast of Iran are in control this afternoon. British sources noted that this was piracy by the Iranian Guards."
Iran Closes Its Airspace
Israel's Ministry of Defense, B. Gantz, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lapid will tomorrow inform the ambassadors of the permanent members of the UN Security Council of the attacks on Iran.
Iran is preparing for conflict. NOTAM is closing the airspace of Tehran's ports tomorrow for fear of drone strikes.
Iran is blocking the GNSS satellite navigation system to prevent any retaliation from Israel! With NOTAM it issued reports that GPS signals will be blocked north of Iran by 7.30pm on August 5. Pilots are advised to rely on their INS while flying over Tehran.
At the same time, the Iranian Guards will begin two-day ballistic missile drills over fears of an attack by Israel.
The country's air defenses are on war alert.
EasyWatch Security - EasyWatch Security
EKTAKTO- Rapid escalation: Iran hit four ships - Captured with special forces resalto one! - WarNews247
northern watch
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Well, we know Biden and the EU will do nothing, Israel, the UK, the Gulf States will.
We may see a first, a joint Israel-UK operation, supported by the Gulf States.
John Deere Girl
Veteran Member
I hope someone stands up to Iran and puts a stop to this! Ridiculous!
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Start watching the price of oil!
danielboon
TB Fanatic
And now the burden of Damascus comes into play again
View: https://mobile.twitter.com/EndGameWW3/status/1422672349552316424
jward
passin' thru
Shah's son urges West to drive 'nail in coffin' of Iran clerical state
Shaun Tandon and Francesco Fontemaggi
4-5 minutes
Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last shah, believes the clerical state that toppled his father is on the brink of crumbling. What Iranians need now, he says, is stronger support from the West.
As ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi was sworn in Tuesday as the eighth president of the Islamic republic, Pahlavi, who lives in exile near Washington, pointed to an election turnout rate of 48.8 percent, the lowest since the 1979 revolution, as well as demonstrations first triggered by serious water shortages.
"Is the regime fragmented, is it fragile, is it bordering on the precipice? Yes it is, but like anything else, if you throw them a lifeline, they'll catch a second breath and survive a bit," he told AFP in an interview.
"We have an opportunity to put the final nail in the coffin. And we're not asking the world to do that for us; the people of Iran want to do it, but they need some help."
He said Western nations should support technology to circumvent internet restrictions in Iran, disinvest from the state and develop a "strike fund" to support workers who wage nonviolent civil disobedience.
Pahlavi, like many others, has spoken before of the regime crumbling. But he insisted this time was different as forces are "just killing people," including "young people who are thirsty and seeking their rights."
"This isn't a response that shows confidence or stability. It's like a last effort to put out the flames," he said.
- 'Slap in the face' -
Pahlavi described Raisi, born six weeks after the prince in 1960, as a "butcher" and "perhaps one of the darkest and most sinister individuals that the Islamic Republic has ever produced."
As a prosecutor, Raisi is linked to the mass executions of Marxists and other leftists in 1988.
"What's the most shocking to us is not so much how (Iranian) people are responding, but it's rather Western democracies, of whom we had the most expectation, seem to be stabbing the people in the back," Pahlavi said.
He pointed to the decisions, notably of the European Union, to attend the inauguration as "almost like a slap in the face, to say the least," by legitimizing Raisi.
US President Joe Biden's administration, while criticizing Raisi on human rights, engaged in months of fruitless indirect talks with the previous, more moderate administration of Hassan Rouhani on reviving a 2015 nuclear accord.
Biden argues that the accord, which was trashed by Donald Trump as he imposed punishing sanctions, would serve US interests by containing nuclear work by Iran, which since 1979 has been an arch-enemy of the United States and its regional allies Israel and Saudi Arabia.
- 'Symbol above the fray' -
Sporting a crisp suit with a lapel pin the shape of Iran bearing the imperial-era lion emblem, Pahlavi speaks with a relaxed smile, and in exile has pursued passions for nature photography and playing drums. His priorities do not include restoring the 2,500-year-old monarchy.
Social media footage in recent years have shown demonstrators voicing nostalgia for the Pahlavi dynasty, an era when oil-producing Iran was rapidly developing and enjoyed warm relations with the West, although few see a groundswell of support for monarchists.
Pahlavi said he was "republican in nature" and that Iranians should decide whether they need a "symbol above the fray" -- who could be elected rather than inheriting a throne.
The position could be "something totally new that still is true to the spirit and the fabric and the culture of a nation, but it is adapted to today's rules of democracy and self-governance," he said.
Pahlavi voiced hope for a conference soon of the Iranian opposition and said the future should eventually be decided by a constituent assembly of "secular, democratic forces."
Pahlavi said he is not advocating regime change led by the US military -- an idea that has little support in Washington as it seeks to exit Afghanistan and Iraq. But he said the United States needs a dialogue with the opposition.
"We're not saying don't talk to Islamic Republic. You need to have a channel of communication for the sake of diplomacy, we all understand that," he said.
"But thinking that those who are part of the problem are going to offer you a solution is madness."
sct-fff/caw
news.yahoo.com
Shaun Tandon and Francesco Fontemaggi
4-5 minutes
Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last shah, believes the clerical state that toppled his father is on the brink of crumbling. What Iranians need now, he says, is stronger support from the West.
As ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi was sworn in Tuesday as the eighth president of the Islamic republic, Pahlavi, who lives in exile near Washington, pointed to an election turnout rate of 48.8 percent, the lowest since the 1979 revolution, as well as demonstrations first triggered by serious water shortages.
"Is the regime fragmented, is it fragile, is it bordering on the precipice? Yes it is, but like anything else, if you throw them a lifeline, they'll catch a second breath and survive a bit," he told AFP in an interview.
"We have an opportunity to put the final nail in the coffin. And we're not asking the world to do that for us; the people of Iran want to do it, but they need some help."
He said Western nations should support technology to circumvent internet restrictions in Iran, disinvest from the state and develop a "strike fund" to support workers who wage nonviolent civil disobedience.
Pahlavi, like many others, has spoken before of the regime crumbling. But he insisted this time was different as forces are "just killing people," including "young people who are thirsty and seeking their rights."
"This isn't a response that shows confidence or stability. It's like a last effort to put out the flames," he said.
- 'Slap in the face' -
Pahlavi described Raisi, born six weeks after the prince in 1960, as a "butcher" and "perhaps one of the darkest and most sinister individuals that the Islamic Republic has ever produced."
As a prosecutor, Raisi is linked to the mass executions of Marxists and other leftists in 1988.
"What's the most shocking to us is not so much how (Iranian) people are responding, but it's rather Western democracies, of whom we had the most expectation, seem to be stabbing the people in the back," Pahlavi said.
He pointed to the decisions, notably of the European Union, to attend the inauguration as "almost like a slap in the face, to say the least," by legitimizing Raisi.
US President Joe Biden's administration, while criticizing Raisi on human rights, engaged in months of fruitless indirect talks with the previous, more moderate administration of Hassan Rouhani on reviving a 2015 nuclear accord.
Biden argues that the accord, which was trashed by Donald Trump as he imposed punishing sanctions, would serve US interests by containing nuclear work by Iran, which since 1979 has been an arch-enemy of the United States and its regional allies Israel and Saudi Arabia.
- 'Symbol above the fray' -
Sporting a crisp suit with a lapel pin the shape of Iran bearing the imperial-era lion emblem, Pahlavi speaks with a relaxed smile, and in exile has pursued passions for nature photography and playing drums. His priorities do not include restoring the 2,500-year-old monarchy.
Social media footage in recent years have shown demonstrators voicing nostalgia for the Pahlavi dynasty, an era when oil-producing Iran was rapidly developing and enjoyed warm relations with the West, although few see a groundswell of support for monarchists.
Pahlavi said he was "republican in nature" and that Iranians should decide whether they need a "symbol above the fray" -- who could be elected rather than inheriting a throne.
The position could be "something totally new that still is true to the spirit and the fabric and the culture of a nation, but it is adapted to today's rules of democracy and self-governance," he said.
Pahlavi voiced hope for a conference soon of the Iranian opposition and said the future should eventually be decided by a constituent assembly of "secular, democratic forces."
Pahlavi said he is not advocating regime change led by the US military -- an idea that has little support in Washington as it seeks to exit Afghanistan and Iraq. But he said the United States needs a dialogue with the opposition.
"We're not saying don't talk to Islamic Republic. You need to have a channel of communication for the sake of diplomacy, we all understand that," he said.
"But thinking that those who are part of the problem are going to offer you a solution is madness."
sct-fff/caw
Shah's son urges West to drive 'nail in coffin' of Iran clerical state
Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last shah, believes the clerical state that toppled his father is on the brink of crumbling. What Iranians need now, he says, is stronger support from the West.
jward
passin' thru
Heshmat Alavi
@HeshmatAlavi
#Iran official says Tehran to drop prisoner swap plans with U.S. - report Quite telling. This is how the regime is responding to the ongoing #appeasement policy adopted by the Biden administration.
View: https://twitter.com/HeshmatAlavi/status/1422682690491408386?s=20
@HeshmatAlavi
#Iran official says Tehran to drop prisoner swap plans with U.S. - report Quite telling. This is how the regime is responding to the ongoing #appeasement policy adopted by the Biden administration.
View: https://twitter.com/HeshmatAlavi/status/1422682690491408386?s=20
jward
passin' thru
Heshmat Alavi
@HeshmatAlavi
1h
Raisi made clear that #Iran would never negotiate the longer, stronger deal Biden said he could achieve by first returning to the old one. Khamenei reaffirmed as much last week. Biden should take “no” for an answer and leave a bad deal in the past. #JCPOA
View: https://twitter.com/HeshmatAlavi/status/1422675895698006017?s=20
@HeshmatAlavi
1h
Raisi made clear that #Iran would never negotiate the longer, stronger deal Biden said he could achieve by first returning to the old one. Khamenei reaffirmed as much last week. Biden should take “no” for an answer and leave a bad deal in the past. #JCPOA
View: https://twitter.com/HeshmatAlavi/status/1422675895698006017?s=20
northern watch
TB Fanatic
northern watch
TB Fanatic
Ship Seized in Gulf of Oman Amid Rising Tensions with Iran; Western officials say suspected Iranian gunmen behind the seizure; incident follows last week's drone attack on a ship in nearby waters
Tuesday, August 3, 2021, 4:57 PM ET
Wall Street Journal
By Benoit Faucon in London and Stephen Kalin in Riyadh
A tanker ship in the Gulf of Oman was seized Tuesday by suspected Iranian gunmen, Western officials said, amid rising regional tensions following a fatal drone attack on another vessel that the U.S. and its allies have blamed on the Islamic Republic.
The tanker was boarded near the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is affiliated with the British Defense Ministry.
In recent years, Iran’s Navy has often seized oil tankers it accuses of smuggling oil in its waters. But the latest incident comes on the heels of last week’s attack on an Israeli-linked tanker in the nearby Arabian Sea, which the U.S., the U.K. and Israel blamed on Iran. The deaths of two crew members, a British national and a Romanian national, were the first after numerous strikes blamed on Iran and Israel in recent years on ships in the region.
Tehran has denied involvement in last week’s attack and said it wouldn’t hesitate to defend its interests following rivals’ threats that they would retaliate.
On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh denied that the country’s armed forces had boarded the ship. He described the recent incidents as suspicious and warned against making accusations for political purposes.
Iranian Armed Forces Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi warned that insecurity in regional waters was aimed at “preparing the ground for new adventurisms.”
The accusations against Iran come as the Biden administration tries to revive a nuclear deal with Iran at talks in Vienna.
Those efforts have stalled as the U.S. waits for Iran to return to the negotiating table. U.S. negotiators are concerned that Iran will stiffen its terms after the e election of its new president, a hard-liner.
Press secretary Jen Psaki said that the White House was monitoring the situation, which it views as deeply concerning, and was in touch with allies. The administration still hopes to continue talks with Tehran, she said in a press briefing.
“Every single challenge and threat we face from Iran would be made more pronounced and dangerous by an unconstrained nuclear program that continues,” she said. “And certainly we would hope we could build from there.”
Asked about Tuesday’s incident during a Congressional hearing, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman didn’t address the issue directly but said, “Nothing has stopped the attacks by Iran.”
The seizure occurred in the same area as a string of attacks in 2019 that threatened to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest waterways. U.S. officials also blamed those attacks on Iran, which denied the charges.
Such attacks have led the U.S. and its allies to stand watch as commercial ships travel through international waters near the Arabian Sea to deter further suspected Iranian aggression.
Write to Benoit Faucon at benoit.faucon@wsj.com and Stephen Kalin at stephen.kalin@wsj.com
Ship Seized in Gulf of Oman Amid Rising Tensions with Iran - WSJ
Tuesday, August 3, 2021, 4:57 PM ET
Wall Street Journal
By Benoit Faucon in London and Stephen Kalin in Riyadh
A tanker ship in the Gulf of Oman was seized Tuesday by suspected Iranian gunmen, Western officials said, amid rising regional tensions following a fatal drone attack on another vessel that the U.S. and its allies have blamed on the Islamic Republic.
The tanker was boarded near the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is affiliated with the British Defense Ministry.
In recent years, Iran’s Navy has often seized oil tankers it accuses of smuggling oil in its waters. But the latest incident comes on the heels of last week’s attack on an Israeli-linked tanker in the nearby Arabian Sea, which the U.S., the U.K. and Israel blamed on Iran. The deaths of two crew members, a British national and a Romanian national, were the first after numerous strikes blamed on Iran and Israel in recent years on ships in the region.
Tehran has denied involvement in last week’s attack and said it wouldn’t hesitate to defend its interests following rivals’ threats that they would retaliate.
On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh denied that the country’s armed forces had boarded the ship. He described the recent incidents as suspicious and warned against making accusations for political purposes.
Iranian Armed Forces Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi warned that insecurity in regional waters was aimed at “preparing the ground for new adventurisms.”
The accusations against Iran come as the Biden administration tries to revive a nuclear deal with Iran at talks in Vienna.
Those efforts have stalled as the U.S. waits for Iran to return to the negotiating table. U.S. negotiators are concerned that Iran will stiffen its terms after the e election of its new president, a hard-liner.
Press secretary Jen Psaki said that the White House was monitoring the situation, which it views as deeply concerning, and was in touch with allies. The administration still hopes to continue talks with Tehran, she said in a press briefing.
“Every single challenge and threat we face from Iran would be made more pronounced and dangerous by an unconstrained nuclear program that continues,” she said. “And certainly we would hope we could build from there.”
Asked about Tuesday’s incident during a Congressional hearing, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman didn’t address the issue directly but said, “Nothing has stopped the attacks by Iran.”
The seizure occurred in the same area as a string of attacks in 2019 that threatened to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest waterways. U.S. officials also blamed those attacks on Iran, which denied the charges.
Such attacks have led the U.S. and its allies to stand watch as commercial ships travel through international waters near the Arabian Sea to deter further suspected Iranian aggression.
Write to Benoit Faucon at benoit.faucon@wsj.com and Stephen Kalin at stephen.kalin@wsj.com
Ship Seized in Gulf of Oman Amid Rising Tensions with Iran - WSJ
northern watch
TB Fanatic
US Navy Sends Ship To Shadow Hijacked Tanker As It Heads Toward Iranian Waters
BY TYLER DURDEN
ZERO HEDGE
TUESDAY, AUG 03, 2021 - 06:38 PM
(update-6:37PM eastern): The US State Department late in the day has said it is aware of reports that the Panama-flagged Asphalt Princess has been hijacked by multiple heavily armed militants.
The ship is reportedly headed for Iranian waters, after multiple reports pointed the finger at an Iranian forces hijack incident in progress, though details have still remained murky and unconfirmed as the ship continues to move.
Iran has meanwhile issued a formal denial that it's forces are behind Tuesday's events off the coast of UAE, as Bloomberg reports:
(update-12:50PM eastern): A flurry of bizarre and unconfirmed reports are coming out of the Gulf waters where one or more foreign vessels are believed seized by the Iranians, however, which Tehran is denying, calling the reports "suspicious". Britain's Sky News reports:
And then there's this hugely alarming unconfirmed report circulating...
(update-12:38PM eastern): While there are still many unknowns about the developing distressed tanker incident in the Persian Gulf off the UAE coast, including whether the incident has impacted one or possibly up to a few tankers, reports are now pointing to a hijacking in progress likely by Iranian forces.
Journalist and defense editor for the UK Times Larisa Brown is citing British government sources to say the Panamanian-flagged Asphalt Princess has been boarded by hostile entities.
The vessel now appears to be moving, according to real-time tracking data, viewable here.
Earlier speculation abounded over reports that the nearby Golden Brilliant may be under distress as well, possibly in a mine attack incident.
(update-11:22AM eastern): Statements from Iranian state sources are saying a foreign tanker has struck a mine in the Persian Gulf.
While few details are as yet known or confirmed, international maritime aerial patrols are said to be en route to observe the vessel or vessels directly, possibly including US aircraft in the region.
However, these early reports out of Iran remain unconfirmed, but seem to point to another major security incident unfolding after last Thursday's deadly drone attack on the Israeli-managed Mercer Street tanker.
One of the potentially distressed tankers is Singaporean flagged 'Golden Brilliant' chemical ship. Interestingly, it's managed by "the same company that managed the Andrea Victory, which Iran attacked with a limpet mine in May 2019," according to one observer.
Omani observer aircraft are said to now be over waters where one or more vessels may be disabled.
If the mystery incident is confirmed to have been a mine attack, expect the US military to be en route...
The UK has ordered ships to exercise extreme caution in Persian Gulf waters off UAE's coast as an unknown incident is unfolding, though few details have initially been given.
A non-piracy incident is currently underway east of Fujairah, with "investigations ongoing," an urgent alert from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) indicates. "The warning notice, based on a third party source, advised vessels in the area to exercise extreme caution," Reuters writes of the developing notification.
It's as yet unclear which vessel may be involved in a potential distressed situation, but open source maritime tracking information suggests at least one vessel has been deemed "not under command".
In technical terms this simply means means that a vessel is unable to maneuver at this time.
Reuters reports the following:
Iran for its part has said it will respond with a "strong and crushing" military response to any provocations. While the developing incident in the Gulf could simply be a vessel temporarily experiencing technical difficulties, there are fears of a new incident related to the renewed Iran and Israel 'shadow war' in the region.
US Navy Sends Ship To Shadow Hijacked Tanker As It Heads Toward Iranian Waters | ZeroHedge
BY TYLER DURDEN
ZERO HEDGE
TUESDAY, AUG 03, 2021 - 06:38 PM
(update-6:37PM eastern): The US State Department late in the day has said it is aware of reports that the Panama-flagged Asphalt Princess has been hijacked by multiple heavily armed militants.
The ship is reportedly headed for Iranian waters, after multiple reports pointed the finger at an Iranian forces hijack incident in progress, though details have still remained murky and unconfirmed as the ship continues to move.
Iran has meanwhile issued a formal denial that it's forces are behind Tuesday's events off the coast of UAE, as Bloomberg reports:
Late in the day there are new reports that the US Navy is sending a vessel to the vicinity as part of the continuing investigation of the fluid situation.
(update-12:50PM eastern): A flurry of bizarre and unconfirmed reports are coming out of the Gulf waters where one or more foreign vessels are believed seized by the Iranians, however, which Tehran is denying, calling the reports "suspicious". Britain's Sky News reports:
And then there's this hugely alarming unconfirmed report circulating...
(update-12:38PM eastern): While there are still many unknowns about the developing distressed tanker incident in the Persian Gulf off the UAE coast, including whether the incident has impacted one or possibly up to a few tankers, reports are now pointing to a hijacking in progress likely by Iranian forces.
Journalist and defense editor for the UK Times Larisa Brown is citing British government sources to say the Panamanian-flagged Asphalt Princess has been boarded by hostile entities.
The vessel now appears to be moving, according to real-time tracking data, viewable here.
Earlier speculation abounded over reports that the nearby Golden Brilliant may be under distress as well, possibly in a mine attack incident.
(update-11:22AM eastern): Statements from Iranian state sources are saying a foreign tanker has struck a mine in the Persian Gulf.
While few details are as yet known or confirmed, international maritime aerial patrols are said to be en route to observe the vessel or vessels directly, possibly including US aircraft in the region.
However, these early reports out of Iran remain unconfirmed, but seem to point to another major security incident unfolding after last Thursday's deadly drone attack on the Israeli-managed Mercer Street tanker.
One of the potentially distressed tankers is Singaporean flagged 'Golden Brilliant' chemical ship. Interestingly, it's managed by "the same company that managed the Andrea Victory, which Iran attacked with a limpet mine in May 2019," according to one observer.
Omani observer aircraft are said to now be over waters where one or more vessels may be disabled.
If the mystery incident is confirmed to have been a mine attack, expect the US military to be en route...
The UK has ordered ships to exercise extreme caution in Persian Gulf waters off UAE's coast as an unknown incident is unfolding, though few details have initially been given.
A non-piracy incident is currently underway east of Fujairah, with "investigations ongoing," an urgent alert from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) indicates. "The warning notice, based on a third party source, advised vessels in the area to exercise extreme caution," Reuters writes of the developing notification.
It's as yet unclear which vessel may be involved in a potential distressed situation, but open source maritime tracking information suggests at least one vessel has been deemed "not under command".
In technical terms this simply means means that a vessel is unable to maneuver at this time.
Reuters reports the following:
The region is on edge following last week's drone attack on an Israeli-linked oil tanker off Oman which left two international crew members dead. Israel and the US have warned they are preparing 'action' against Iran, which they blamed for the incident.
Iran for its part has said it will respond with a "strong and crushing" military response to any provocations. While the developing incident in the Gulf could simply be a vessel temporarily experiencing technical difficulties, there are fears of a new incident related to the renewed Iran and Israel 'shadow war' in the region.
US Navy Sends Ship To Shadow Hijacked Tanker As It Heads Toward Iranian Waters | ZeroHedge
Last edited:
northern watch
TB Fanatic
Key factors for consideration......
https://www.hadalsame.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/b-71.jpg
This means that any "significant" action against Iran opens the gates to immediate replies setting up an escalation loop. The only way around that is for one side or the other to take a page out of history and not just strike first but do so in a manner that removes the possibility of a counter strike. When this does go hot, it will be massive.....
https://www.hadalsame.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/b-71.jpg
This means that any "significant" action against Iran opens the gates to immediate replies setting up an escalation loop. The only way around that is for one side or the other to take a page out of history and not just strike first but do so in a manner that removes the possibility of a counter strike. When this does go hot, it will be massive.....
From a couple of days ago; just to add to the confusion.....
Posted for fair use.....
breakingdefense.com
Qatar’s Massive Increase In Military Power Comes With Political, Logistical Headaches
As Qatar awaits permission from Paris to base Rafales and Mirages in Turkey, it grapples with the challenge of finding manpower and training them to use dozens of planes it has purchased.
By RIAD KAHWAJI
on July 29, 2021 at 9:03 AM
DUBAI: After an unprecedented spending spree that is set to increase its number of warplanes by 900 percent, the Qatari government finds itself wrestling with a logistics problem: how the small oil-rich nation of 550,000 people will man and operate its now vast arsenal of weapons.
A plan appears to be underway, with the Qatari government intending to station some 36 of its warplanes and transporters in Turkey under a five-year-long “temporary deployment” agreement. But that move could create political headaches for both nations, with the French government having to weigh domestic politics and a desire to expand its defense industrial footprint in the region.
The agreement, in the works for some time and finally signed by the Chiefs of Staff of both countries in Doha on March 2nd, 2021, allows Qatar to deploy jet fighters and transporters from Turkish bases for the purpose of training and providing support within the host country’s airspace.
According to Qatari and Turkish press reports, some 12 Qatari Rafale fighters and 10 Mirage 2000 warplanes, along with C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 transporters, will be deployed in Turkey under the agreement (There is no clear information on when Qatar intends to deploy its planes to Turkey.) Its a strengthening of the relationship between the two countries; Turkey has a military base in Doha with some 5,000 troops stationed there.
The agreement, which has not been made public officially but was leaked to the media, mentions that Qatar will be building the required facilities to accommodate the warplanes, along with its pilots and support crews.
The agreement gives Qatar a place to base its new warplanes and train its pilots, while consolidating relations with Turkey. Ankara, meanwhile, gets to strengthen its geo-strategic position by ensuring firm military ties with a major oil and gas producer in the middle of Gulf Arab states bordering one of its main regional competitors — Saudi Arabia. Looking down the road, the basing of the fighter jets could become permanent, and Doha might even consider donating them to Ankara as a token of appreciation, if approval is granted from Paris.
According to industry sources and experts, deploying offensive warplanes in a foreign country requires the prior approval of the country where the planes were built — in this case France, where government officials have maintained silence on the issue.
Breaking Defense reached out via email to the French Ministry of Defense (MoD) seeking comments on the Turkish-Qatari pact. The French MoD acknowledged its awareness of the agreement and pointed out that “only paragraph 15 of article 4 concerns fighter planes and that it is only mentioned that in the event of the flight of (Qatari) fighter planes a Turkish plane must be part of the flight.”
The agreement also allows for the Turks to have at least one observation officer on a Qatari transport plane. Notably, the agreement does not touch on whether a Turkish officer would be allowed to fly the Qatari planes, or to fly in a two-seat variant of either the Rafale or Mirage. (Qatar operates both single-seat and two-seat fighter jets; it is unknown at this time whether any two-seat variants would be among those placed in Turkey.)
Further questions about whether the MoD approved the deployment of the French-built fighters in Turkey or has signed off on them being flown by Turkish pilots were not returned by press time. However, some experts believe Paris might see benefits in permitting the deployment of the Qatari fighters, despite likely domestic opposition and possible reservations from foreign players.
According to Justine Mazonier, a French independent security consultant, this agreement could give the French defense industry a step towards penetrating the Turkish market — a long sought goal.
“France tried for many years to enter the Turkish market (despite the arms embargo in 2019). The Turkish military staff would be able to assess the quality of the French material and define for themselves their own operational needs,” Mazonier said.
Turkey’s relationship with many of its NATO allies has become strained in recent years, but Mazonier said that French-Turkish relations have quietly been on an upswing in 2021.
Still, the French defense industry will need to tread carefully, given that Greece — whose longstanding strains with Ankara have become only worse thanks a dispute over oil and gas fields in the Mediterranean — has recently started taking delivery of 18 Rafale fighters from France. And domestic politics can’t be ignored.
“I imagine it will not be easy for (French President Emmanuel) Macron to overtly have French warplanes in Turkey given his domestic struggles around Islam and Arabs in France. Certainly being seen as getting close to the Turkish leader would not be good for him in an election year,” said Pete Moore, Visiting Kuwait Chair at Paris School of International Affairs.
There is a clear hole in Turkey’s military fleet that the Rafale could fill. Ankara’s decade-long plans to acquire the fifth generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter from the US was dashed after its contract with the United States was cancelled due to Ankara’s purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.
France is unlikely to have the same concerns the US did about the S-400 gathering information on the stealthy fighter, as the Rafale lacks that capability and has been in service much longer than the F-35, said Mazonier.
She added that the Qatari fighters in Turkey will not likely be armed and therefore “Turkish observers placed in the cockpit would only be able to assess the flight endurance of the Rafales during the exercise” without having access to sensitive systems on the warplanes.
Balancing Act
Many experts believe Qatar has a serious problem in absorbing the large quantities of warplanes and naval ships it purchased right after its 2017 crisis with its Arab neighbors — Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt — that broke off relations and imposed a blockade on it. When the dispute ended last December and relations were restored, Qatar suddenly found itself with a lot of gear and no clear path forward.
“The reason for the Qatari military build-up is mainly the perception, rightly or wrongly, that Saudi Forces (probably with support from other allies) were going to invade Qatar in 2017 and engineer a ‘regime change,’” said Gawdat Bahgat, Professor of national security at the National Defense University’s Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies.
Up to 2017, the Qatar Air Force was made up of one squadron of 12 Mirage 2000 warplanes, 18 transporters (C-17, C-130J, Boeing 707 & 727 and Airbus 340), 21 PC-21 Pilatus trainers and 46 helicopters for utility and attack missions.
But since then, Qatar has signed contracts worth at least $30 billion to purchase a wave of new equipment, including 36 F-15QA jetfighters and 24 Apache helicopter gunships from the US, some 24 Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes and nine Hawk trainers from Britain, 28 NH-90 helicopters from Italy, and 36 Rafales and 2 A330 MRTT aerial refueling planes from France. The Qatari Navy, meanwhile procured eight new vessels, which will nearly double the size of the fleet. The deliveries of these aircraft, corvettes and offshore patrol boats started this year and expected to end in 2024.
Put another way: the number of modern attack jets in the Qatari Air Force arsenal is to increase nine times over a seven year period — with about 108 new warplanes, and their fleets of helicopters will more than double in size.
That raises the obvious question of where Qatar can find the manpower for their new arsenal, and where will it train them.
The deal with Turkey could be one of the ways that Qatar could go about achieving the training part. Qatar has reportedly signed a contract with Boeing to train its pilots in the United States, and is close to concluding a deal to purchase M-346 advanced trainers from Leonardo and to train pilots in Italy.
Qatar could also end up commissioning officers from abroad to serve in its Air Force and Navy to fill up the likely big gaps in manpower shortage. Commissioning foreign officers, especially from European and American military and ex-servicemen from some Arab and Muslim countries, is common in the Gulf Arab States.
“Expanding the air force and navy can be seen as an ‘insurance policy.’ The royal family perceived the threat of a regime change as an existential threat,” Bahgat said. “The only way to address this threat was also to ally with another major regional power — Turkey.”
Posted for fair use.....
Qatar's Massive Increase In Military Power Comes With Political, Logistical Headaches - Breaking Defense
As Qatar awaits permission from Paris to base Rafales and Mirages in Turkey, it grapples with the challenge of finding manpower and training them to use dozens of planes it has purchased.
breakingdefense.com
Qatar’s Massive Increase In Military Power Comes With Political, Logistical Headaches
As Qatar awaits permission from Paris to base Rafales and Mirages in Turkey, it grapples with the challenge of finding manpower and training them to use dozens of planes it has purchased.
By RIAD KAHWAJI
on July 29, 2021 at 9:03 AM
DUBAI: After an unprecedented spending spree that is set to increase its number of warplanes by 900 percent, the Qatari government finds itself wrestling with a logistics problem: how the small oil-rich nation of 550,000 people will man and operate its now vast arsenal of weapons.
A plan appears to be underway, with the Qatari government intending to station some 36 of its warplanes and transporters in Turkey under a five-year-long “temporary deployment” agreement. But that move could create political headaches for both nations, with the French government having to weigh domestic politics and a desire to expand its defense industrial footprint in the region.
The agreement, in the works for some time and finally signed by the Chiefs of Staff of both countries in Doha on March 2nd, 2021, allows Qatar to deploy jet fighters and transporters from Turkish bases for the purpose of training and providing support within the host country’s airspace.
According to Qatari and Turkish press reports, some 12 Qatari Rafale fighters and 10 Mirage 2000 warplanes, along with C-130J Super Hercules and C-17 transporters, will be deployed in Turkey under the agreement (There is no clear information on when Qatar intends to deploy its planes to Turkey.) Its a strengthening of the relationship between the two countries; Turkey has a military base in Doha with some 5,000 troops stationed there.
The agreement, which has not been made public officially but was leaked to the media, mentions that Qatar will be building the required facilities to accommodate the warplanes, along with its pilots and support crews.
The agreement gives Qatar a place to base its new warplanes and train its pilots, while consolidating relations with Turkey. Ankara, meanwhile, gets to strengthen its geo-strategic position by ensuring firm military ties with a major oil and gas producer in the middle of Gulf Arab states bordering one of its main regional competitors — Saudi Arabia. Looking down the road, the basing of the fighter jets could become permanent, and Doha might even consider donating them to Ankara as a token of appreciation, if approval is granted from Paris.
According to industry sources and experts, deploying offensive warplanes in a foreign country requires the prior approval of the country where the planes were built — in this case France, where government officials have maintained silence on the issue.
Breaking Defense reached out via email to the French Ministry of Defense (MoD) seeking comments on the Turkish-Qatari pact. The French MoD acknowledged its awareness of the agreement and pointed out that “only paragraph 15 of article 4 concerns fighter planes and that it is only mentioned that in the event of the flight of (Qatari) fighter planes a Turkish plane must be part of the flight.”
The agreement also allows for the Turks to have at least one observation officer on a Qatari transport plane. Notably, the agreement does not touch on whether a Turkish officer would be allowed to fly the Qatari planes, or to fly in a two-seat variant of either the Rafale or Mirage. (Qatar operates both single-seat and two-seat fighter jets; it is unknown at this time whether any two-seat variants would be among those placed in Turkey.)
Further questions about whether the MoD approved the deployment of the French-built fighters in Turkey or has signed off on them being flown by Turkish pilots were not returned by press time. However, some experts believe Paris might see benefits in permitting the deployment of the Qatari fighters, despite likely domestic opposition and possible reservations from foreign players.
According to Justine Mazonier, a French independent security consultant, this agreement could give the French defense industry a step towards penetrating the Turkish market — a long sought goal.
“France tried for many years to enter the Turkish market (despite the arms embargo in 2019). The Turkish military staff would be able to assess the quality of the French material and define for themselves their own operational needs,” Mazonier said.
Turkey’s relationship with many of its NATO allies has become strained in recent years, but Mazonier said that French-Turkish relations have quietly been on an upswing in 2021.
Still, the French defense industry will need to tread carefully, given that Greece — whose longstanding strains with Ankara have become only worse thanks a dispute over oil and gas fields in the Mediterranean — has recently started taking delivery of 18 Rafale fighters from France. And domestic politics can’t be ignored.
“I imagine it will not be easy for (French President Emmanuel) Macron to overtly have French warplanes in Turkey given his domestic struggles around Islam and Arabs in France. Certainly being seen as getting close to the Turkish leader would not be good for him in an election year,” said Pete Moore, Visiting Kuwait Chair at Paris School of International Affairs.
There is a clear hole in Turkey’s military fleet that the Rafale could fill. Ankara’s decade-long plans to acquire the fifth generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter from the US was dashed after its contract with the United States was cancelled due to Ankara’s purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.
France is unlikely to have the same concerns the US did about the S-400 gathering information on the stealthy fighter, as the Rafale lacks that capability and has been in service much longer than the F-35, said Mazonier.
She added that the Qatari fighters in Turkey will not likely be armed and therefore “Turkish observers placed in the cockpit would only be able to assess the flight endurance of the Rafales during the exercise” without having access to sensitive systems on the warplanes.
Balancing Act
Many experts believe Qatar has a serious problem in absorbing the large quantities of warplanes and naval ships it purchased right after its 2017 crisis with its Arab neighbors — Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt — that broke off relations and imposed a blockade on it. When the dispute ended last December and relations were restored, Qatar suddenly found itself with a lot of gear and no clear path forward.
“The reason for the Qatari military build-up is mainly the perception, rightly or wrongly, that Saudi Forces (probably with support from other allies) were going to invade Qatar in 2017 and engineer a ‘regime change,’” said Gawdat Bahgat, Professor of national security at the National Defense University’s Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies.
Up to 2017, the Qatar Air Force was made up of one squadron of 12 Mirage 2000 warplanes, 18 transporters (C-17, C-130J, Boeing 707 & 727 and Airbus 340), 21 PC-21 Pilatus trainers and 46 helicopters for utility and attack missions.
But since then, Qatar has signed contracts worth at least $30 billion to purchase a wave of new equipment, including 36 F-15QA jetfighters and 24 Apache helicopter gunships from the US, some 24 Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes and nine Hawk trainers from Britain, 28 NH-90 helicopters from Italy, and 36 Rafales and 2 A330 MRTT aerial refueling planes from France. The Qatari Navy, meanwhile procured eight new vessels, which will nearly double the size of the fleet. The deliveries of these aircraft, corvettes and offshore patrol boats started this year and expected to end in 2024.
Put another way: the number of modern attack jets in the Qatari Air Force arsenal is to increase nine times over a seven year period — with about 108 new warplanes, and their fleets of helicopters will more than double in size.
That raises the obvious question of where Qatar can find the manpower for their new arsenal, and where will it train them.
The deal with Turkey could be one of the ways that Qatar could go about achieving the training part. Qatar has reportedly signed a contract with Boeing to train its pilots in the United States, and is close to concluding a deal to purchase M-346 advanced trainers from Leonardo and to train pilots in Italy.
Qatar could also end up commissioning officers from abroad to serve in its Air Force and Navy to fill up the likely big gaps in manpower shortage. Commissioning foreign officers, especially from European and American military and ex-servicemen from some Arab and Muslim countries, is common in the Gulf Arab States.
“Expanding the air force and navy can be seen as an ‘insurance policy.’ The royal family perceived the threat of a regime change as an existential threat,” Bahgat said. “The only way to address this threat was also to ally with another major regional power — Turkey.”
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British navy group: Hijackers have left vessel off UAE coast
The British navy says hijackers who boarded a vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf of Oman have left the ship, without elaborating
By JON GAMBRELL and ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press
4 August 2021, 02:08
FUJAIRAH, United Arab Emirates -- The hijackers who seized a vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf of Oman left the targeted ship on Wednesday, the British navy reported, without elaborating.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that the incident, which it had described as a “potential hijack” the night before, was now “complete." It did not provide further details.
“The vessel is safe,” the group said, without identifying the ship. Shipping authority Lloyd’s List and maritime intelligence firm Dryad Global both named the hijacked vessel as Panama-flagged asphalt tanker Asphalt Princess. The vessel’s owner, listed as Emirati free zone-based Glory International, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Satellite-tracking data for the Asphalt Princess had showed it gradually heading toward Iranian waters off the port of Jask early Wednesday, according to MarineTraffic.com. Later, however, it stopped and changed course toward Oman, just before the British navy group announced the intruders had left.
Two Oman Royal Air Force aircraft, identified as an Airbus C-295MPA and Lockheed C-130H Hercules, flew over the waters off Fujairah on Wednesday after the incident, according to data from FlightRadar24.com.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attempted ship hijack, which unfolded amid heightened tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran’s tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Over the past few years, commercial shipping in vital Persian Gulf waterways has increasingly been caught in the crosshairs.
Most recently, the U.S., the U.K. and Israel have blamed Iran for a drone attack on an oil tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire off the coast of Oman that killed two people. The raid marked the first known fatal assault in the shadow war targeting vessels in Mideast waters. Iran has denied involvement.
Apparently responding to Tuesday's ship seizure, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh described the recent maritime attacks in the Persian Gulf as “completely suspicious.” He denied that Iran played any role.
The U.S. military’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet and the British Defense Ministry did not return calls for comment about the reported hijack. The Emirati government did not immediately acknowledge the incident.
Late on Tuesday, as the reported hijack was underway, six oil tankers off the coast of Fujairah announced around the same time via their Automatic Identification System trackers that they were “not under command,” according to MarineTraffic.com. That typically means a vessel has lost power and can no longer steer.
The Gulf of Oman is near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil passes. Fujairah, on the UAE’s eastern coast, is a main port in the region for ships to take on new oil cargo, pick up supplies or trade out crew.
For the past two years, after then-President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from Iran's nuclear deal and imposed crushing sanctions on the country, the waters off Fujairah have seen a series of explosions and hijackings. The U.S. Navy blamed Iran for a series of limpet mine attacks on vessels that damaged tankers.
In the summer of 2019, Iran's Revolutionary Guard troops detained a British-flagged tanker, the Stena Impero, near the Strait of Hormuz — a raid that came after Britain seized an Iranian tanker off the coast of Gibraltar on suspicion the ship had been headed to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions.
Last year, an oil tanker sought by the U.S. for allegedly circumventing sanctions on Iran was hijacked off the Emirati coast and later ended up in Iran, though Tehran never acknowledged the incident.
And in January, armed Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops stormed a South Korean tanker and forced the ship to change course and travel to Iran. While Iran claimed it detained the ship over pollution concerns, it appeared to link the seizure to negotiations over billions of dollars in Iranian assets frozen in South Korean banks.
———
DeBre reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates
British navy group: Hijackers have left vessel off UAE coast - ABC News (go.com)
The British navy says hijackers who boarded a vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf of Oman have left the ship, without elaborating
By JON GAMBRELL and ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press
4 August 2021, 02:08
FUJAIRAH, United Arab Emirates -- The hijackers who seized a vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf of Oman left the targeted ship on Wednesday, the British navy reported, without elaborating.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that the incident, which it had described as a “potential hijack” the night before, was now “complete." It did not provide further details.
“The vessel is safe,” the group said, without identifying the ship. Shipping authority Lloyd’s List and maritime intelligence firm Dryad Global both named the hijacked vessel as Panama-flagged asphalt tanker Asphalt Princess. The vessel’s owner, listed as Emirati free zone-based Glory International, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Satellite-tracking data for the Asphalt Princess had showed it gradually heading toward Iranian waters off the port of Jask early Wednesday, according to MarineTraffic.com. Later, however, it stopped and changed course toward Oman, just before the British navy group announced the intruders had left.
Two Oman Royal Air Force aircraft, identified as an Airbus C-295MPA and Lockheed C-130H Hercules, flew over the waters off Fujairah on Wednesday after the incident, according to data from FlightRadar24.com.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attempted ship hijack, which unfolded amid heightened tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran’s tattered 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Over the past few years, commercial shipping in vital Persian Gulf waterways has increasingly been caught in the crosshairs.
Most recently, the U.S., the U.K. and Israel have blamed Iran for a drone attack on an oil tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire off the coast of Oman that killed two people. The raid marked the first known fatal assault in the shadow war targeting vessels in Mideast waters. Iran has denied involvement.
Apparently responding to Tuesday's ship seizure, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh described the recent maritime attacks in the Persian Gulf as “completely suspicious.” He denied that Iran played any role.
The U.S. military’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet and the British Defense Ministry did not return calls for comment about the reported hijack. The Emirati government did not immediately acknowledge the incident.
Late on Tuesday, as the reported hijack was underway, six oil tankers off the coast of Fujairah announced around the same time via their Automatic Identification System trackers that they were “not under command,” according to MarineTraffic.com. That typically means a vessel has lost power and can no longer steer.
The Gulf of Oman is near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil passes. Fujairah, on the UAE’s eastern coast, is a main port in the region for ships to take on new oil cargo, pick up supplies or trade out crew.
For the past two years, after then-President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from Iran's nuclear deal and imposed crushing sanctions on the country, the waters off Fujairah have seen a series of explosions and hijackings. The U.S. Navy blamed Iran for a series of limpet mine attacks on vessels that damaged tankers.
In the summer of 2019, Iran's Revolutionary Guard troops detained a British-flagged tanker, the Stena Impero, near the Strait of Hormuz — a raid that came after Britain seized an Iranian tanker off the coast of Gibraltar on suspicion the ship had been headed to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions.
Last year, an oil tanker sought by the U.S. for allegedly circumventing sanctions on Iran was hijacked off the Emirati coast and later ended up in Iran, though Tehran never acknowledged the incident.
And in January, armed Iranian Revolutionary Guard troops stormed a South Korean tanker and forced the ship to change course and travel to Iran. While Iran claimed it detained the ship over pollution concerns, it appeared to link the seizure to negotiations over billions of dollars in Iranian assets frozen in South Korean banks.
———
DeBre reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates
British navy group: Hijackers have left vessel off UAE coast - ABC News (go.com)
