Free Republic

New imagery released by the U.S. on Monday makes the strongest case yet that sectarian Iranian forces attacked at least one petrochemical tanker in the Gulf of Oman, a long-time naval analyst told USNI News on Monday. Taken from a Navy MH-60R Seahawk, the new photographs show a similar scene as a grainy black and white video U.S. Central Command released on Thursday. In them, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy fast attack craft come alongside the Japanese-owned petrochemical tanker M/V Kokuka Courageous and removed what CENTCOM said is a limpet mine. “Limpet mines are attached to a vessel via...

This post has been updated with a statement from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The crew of a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer rescued 21 merchant mariners from a tanker that was allegedly attacked in the Gulf of Oman, officials told USNI News on Thursday afternoon. USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) responded to a Thursday morning distress call from the tanker M/V Kokuka Courageous, according to U.S. Central Command spokesman Army Lt. Col. Earl Brown. “U.S. Naval Forces Central Command received the calls from the M/V Front Altair and M/V Kokuka Courageous, who were operating in international waters of the Gulf of Oman,”...