| Part of the 2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis | |
 Kokuka Courageous after the fire, with damage shown on the left and the alleged unexplodedlimpet mine still attached on the right | |
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| Date | June 13, 2019 (2019-06-13) |
|---|---|
| Location | Gulf of Oman,Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | 25°28′59″N57°32′35″E / 25.483°N 57.543°E /25.483; 57.543 |
| Target | Merchant shipsKokuka Courageous[a] andFront Altair[b]1 American drone aircraft[2] |
| Non-fatal injuries | 1 crew member wounded[3] |
| Property damage | 2 merchant ships damaged[3] |
| Suspects |  Iran(alleged by the United States, and supported by Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the United Kingdom; denied by Iran and owner of Japanese ship)[4][5][6] |
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On 13 June 2019, twooil tankers were attacked near theStrait of Hormuz while they transited theGulf of Oman. TheKokuka Courageous,flagged in Panama and operated by a company based in Japan, andFront Altair, flagged in Marshall Islands and operated by a company based in Norway, were attacked, allegedly withlimpet mines or flying objects, sustaining fire damage. American and Iranian military personnel responded and rescued crew members. The attacks took place a month after the similarMay 2019 Gulf of Oman incident and on the same day, Iranian Supreme Leader IranAli Khamenei met with Japanese Prime MinisterShinzō Abe in Iran. Abe was acting as an intermediary between US PresidentDonald Trump and Khamenei.[7][8]
Amidheightened tension betweenIran and theUnited States, the United States blamed Iran for the attacks.Saudi Arabia and theUnited Kingdom supported the United States' accusation.[5]Germany has stated that there is "strong evidence" that Iran was responsible for the attacks,[9] andJapan has asked for more proof of Iran's culpability.[10] Iran denied the accusation, blaming the United States for spreading disinformation and warmongering.[8] In response to the incident, the United States announced on 17 June the deployment of 1,000 additional troops to theMiddle East.[11]
The incident occurred when tensions were high among Iran, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. On 8 May 2018, the United States withdrew from theJoint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran, reinstatingsanctions against their nuclear program[12] and starting a "maximum-pressure campaign" on Iran.[13][14] In response, Iran threatened to close theStrait of Hormuz to international shipping, which could have a marked effect on the global oil market. The strait is a choke-point through which some 17.2 million barrels are transported each day, nearly 20 percent of global oil consumption.[15][16]Iran's oil production has hit a historic low as a result of sanctions; yet Saudi Arabia maintained supplies, leaving prices reasonably stable.[17] According to theBBC,U.S. sanctions against Iran "have led to a sharp downturn in Iran's economy, pushing the value of its currency to record lows, quadrupling its annual inflation rate, driving away foreign investors, and triggering protests."[18] U.S. PresidentDonald Trump offered to hold talks with Iran regarding their nuclear program and said he was willing to make a deal to remove sanctions and help fix their economy. However, he did not rule out the possibility of a military conflict with Iran.[19] Iran stated that the United States must first return to the nuclear deal before starting any new negotiations.[20]
During theIran–Iraq War, Iraq started a "Tanker War" in thePersian Gulf in 1981. Iran started to fight back in 1984[21][22] when Iraq ramped up its attacks on Iranian tankers.[23] In 1987 the U.S. launchedOperation Earnest Will to protectKuwaiti tankers against Iranian attacks.[23][24] On 5 May 2019,National Security AdvisorJohn R. Bolton announced that the U.S. was deploying theUSS Abraham Lincolncarrier strike group and fourB-52 bombers to the Middle East to "send a clear and unmistakable message" to Iran following intelligence reports of an Iranian plot to attack U.S. forces in the region.[25][26] On 10 May 2019,The Pentagon announced the deployment ofUSS Arlington and a battery ofPatriot missiles to join their military forces in theGulf of Oman region.[27]
The June 2019 Gulf of Oman incident occurred approximately one month after theMay 2019 Gulf of Oman incident, after which an international investigation concluded that four oil tankers from Norway, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates had been targeted through a sophisticated operation placinglimpet mines perpetrated by a "state actor".[28] U.S. intelligence blamed the attacks on Iran, which increased tensions.[29]
The two oil tankers damaged in this incident wereFront Altair, owned by a Norwegian company, and the Japan-basedKokuka Courageous. The tankers were carrying petroleum products from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.Front Altair was carryingnaphtha fromAbu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and was traveling fromRuwais in the United Arab Emirates to Taiwan.Kokuka Courageous was carryingmethanol fromJubail, Saudi Arabia andMesaieed, Qatar, and was headed to Singapore.[30][31]
The incident occurred during a two-day diplomatic visit by Japan's Prime MinisterShinzō Abe to Iran.[32] Abe was carrying a note from Donald Trump to the Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who rejected exchanging messages with Trump, stating "I do not see Trump as worthy of any message exchange, and I do not have any reply for him, now or in future". According to the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the targeted ships were carrying "Japan-related" cargo.[8][33]
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On 13 June 2019,Front Altair andKokuka Courageous were both transiting the Gulf of Oman heading southeast ininternational waters. According to theU.S. Navy, a distress call fromFront Altair was received at 03:12 GMT (06:12local time) following an explosion.[34] Eight minutes later, a U.S.MQ-9 Reaper drone arrived at the site ofFront Altair, observing the ship on fire.[35] According to a U.S. official, Iranian vessels were observed by the American drone to approach the two merchant ships.[36] According to theU.S. military, at 03:45 GMT (06:45 local time), a modifiedSA-7surface to air missile was fired at the American drone, missing its target by approximately 1 km (0.62 mi).[2][35] Subsequent to the incident with the drone, an explosion occurred onKokuka Courageous. According to the U.S. Navy, a distress call fromKokuka Courageous was received at 04:00 GMT (07:00 local time).[34]CPC Corporation, which was contractingFront Altair, reported that it may have been hit by atorpedo at around 04:00 GMT on 13 June.[33][37] The hull ofKokuka Courageous was reportedly breached above the waterline on the starboard side.[38]
Both ships caught fire,[dubious –discuss] butFrontline and Kokuka Sangyo (affiliated toMitsubishi Gas Chemical Company), the respective owners of the two vessels, reported that all crew members from both ships had successfully evacuated.[8]Iranian News Agency (IRNA) initially reported thatFront Altair had sunk, but the statement was later denied by a Frontline spokesman.[39] Other reports suggested that the attacks may have involved limpet mines.[7][40] Iran reported that they had rescued all 44 crew members of both vessels and taken them to Iran.[40] However, the U.S. Navy responded to assist both vessels after the attack and reported having rescued some of the crew.[7][40] U.S. officials said that theguided missile destroyerUSS Bainbridge rescued 21 crew members from atugboat that had rescued them from the burningKokuka Courageous tanker.[41][42]
A Dutch vessel en route to Dubai rescued 21 people, mostly Filipinos, fromKokuka Courageous. This was confirmed by the Dutch shipping company Acta Marine.[43] The 23 crew ofFront Altair were first rescued by a nearby South Korean vessel,Hyundai Dubai. The South Korean Hyundai Merchant Marine Company confirmed the rescue and said the vessel later handed over the rescued crew members to an Iranian rescue boat.[44][45] According to US intelligence reports, shortly after the crews were evacuated, Iranian military boats surrounded the rescue ships and told them to hand over the mariners into their custody. One of the civilian rescue ships eventually complied with this request.[46] The crew of 23 people of the Frontline'sFront Altair was transferred to an Iranian navy vessel and disembarked at a local Iranian port, later being transferred toBandar Abbas.[47] Neither oil tanker was sunk in the attack, despite significant damage.[7] The U.S. Navy later sent another destroyer,USS Mason, to the location of the incident.[48]
 | This article needs to beupdated. The reason given is: Is about future events in 2019. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2023) |
After the incident,Kokuka Courageous was towed to the port ofKalba in theUnited Arab Emirates. Dutch firmBoskalis was appointed to salvage bothKokuka Courageous andFront Altair.[49]
On 15 June, the crew ofFront Altair arrived in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on anIran Air flight from Bandar Abbas, Iran.[50] Robert Hvide Macleod, CEO of Frontline Management said "Everyone has been very well cared for in Iran, and everyone is in good shape".[51]
Kokuka Courageous's 21 crew members were returned to the vessel by the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet after being rescued.[52]
Front Altair was towed to the port ofKhorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates. BothKokuka Courageous andFront Altair will have their cargoes unloaded and will be assessed for damages by a specialist team.[52]
On 20 June 2019, Iranshot down an American surveillance drone in the Gulf of Oman.[citation needed]
Conspiracy theories have been spread regarding the incident.[53]
U.S. Secretary of StateMike Pompeo said on the day of the incident that Iran was responsible for the attack. He based this assessment on "intelligence, the weapons used, the expertise needed" and "recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping".[54] TheNew York Times reported that experts believe that Iran would carry out such an attack to hit back at the United States while maintaining enough ambiguity to avoid a direct counterattack.[55] The Iranian government, in response, denied any and all responsibility and criticized the accusation.[6][56] ActingU.S. Secretary of DefensePatrick Shanahan remarked that the U.S. wanted to "build international consensus to this international problem", partly by declassifying and releasing intelligence.[57]
On 13 June, the U.S. military released a video which it said shows members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded mine from the side ofKokuka Courageous at 4.10pm local time.[58][59] The patrol boat shown in the video matched the model and dimensions of patrol boats used by theNavy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with an identical chevron pattern, center console, and anti-aircraft gun.[60][61] Iran called the U.S. accusations that it attacked the ships baseless.[62]
On 14 June, the head of the company that ownsKokuka Courageous, Yutaka Katada, stated that the crew members "are saying that they were hit by a flying object. They saw it with their own eyes."[58][63] Then, "some crew witnessed a second shot".[64] He said he believed the incident could not have been a torpedo attack, because the ship was hit above the waterline, and that he was more likely to believe a penetrating bullet hit it than a mine. He clarified this was "just an assumption or a guess."[65][66]
Also on 14 June, theTasnim News Agency reported thatHormozgan Province's port director stated that early investigations indicated that the fires broke out due to technical reasons and that there is no proof that an external object hit either ship.[67][68]
Iran's United Nations mission issued a statement wherein it called on the United States and its regional allies to "put an end to mischievous plots and false flag operations in the region."[69] AnalystFrançois Heisbourg stated "There's a lot of suspicion in Europe about American motives. The maritime milieu is especially susceptible to manipulation – remember theGulf of Tonkin."[70] AnalystAnthony Cordesman raised "the possibility thatISIS (Daesh) carried out the attack as trigger to turn two enemies – the United States and Iran – against each other. Or you're watching Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates create an incident that they could then use to increase the pressure on Iran."[71]
On 17 June, the Pentagon released new images which, according to it, were taken from anMH-60R Navy surveillance helicopter of the aftermath of alleged Iranian attack on tankers in the Gulf of Oman. They again allegedly showed IRGC members removing an unexploded limpet mine.[72]
After news of the incident, theIranian Foreign MinisterMohammad Javad Zarif tweeted "Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning."[41] He described the attacks as a move by "the B-team"[c] to sabotage diplomacy.[73] Iran's mission to the United Nations issued a statement wherein it called on the United States and its regional allies to "put an end to mischievous plots andfalse flag operations in the region."[74][75] Iranian parliament speakerAli Larijani said that the United States may have carried outfalse flag operations against the oil tankers.[76]
On 18 June, Iranian presidentHassan Rouhani said on live television that "Iran will not wage war against any nation. Those facing us are a group of politicians with little experience."[77]
Iran's mission to the United Nations responded to the U.S. accusation by saying that the Iranian government "categorically rejects" the U.S. claim that it was responsible for the attacks and condemned it "in the strongest possible terms".[78]
U.S. officials have blamed the attacks on Iran,[41][80] withUnited States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stating that the U.S. "would defend its forces and interests in the region".[41] Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign AffairsAdel Al-Jubeir agreed with Pompeo, saying "Iran has a history of doing this."[81] During an interview withFox News, Trump further asserted the blame on Iran, calling the country "a nation of terror".[82]
Senator and presidential candidateBernie Sanders called for the incident to be "fully investigated" while adding that a war with Iran "would be an unmitigated disaster for the United States, Iran, the region and the world.”[83] Fellow senator and presidential candidateElizabeth Warren echoed Sanders saying she was “very concerned about a slide towards war with Iran”.[84]
On 17 June,Maariv reported that diplomatic sources at theUnited Nations Headquarters revealed to the newspaper an American plan to carry out a tactical assault against Iran – namely, aerial bombardment of an Iranian facility related to its nuclear program.[85] That evening, theU.S. Department of Defense announced the deployment of 1,000 additional troops to theMiddle East as a defensive response to the incident.[11]
The United KingdomForeign and Commonwealth Office stated that they share the U.S. government's assessment that Iran is to blame for two attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, with British Foreign SecretaryJeremy Hunt calling Iran's alleged actions "deeply unwise".[5]
The office released another statement that "It is almost certain that a branch of the Iranian military – the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – attacked the two tankers on 13 June. No other state or non-state actor could plausibly have been responsible."[86] Hunt said "our starting point is obviously to believe our U.S. allies" and the UK "will be making our own assessment soberly and carefully".[87] He accused Iran of orchestrating the May 2019 Gulf of Oman incident, stating "The Emirati-led investigation of the 12 May attack on four oil tankers near the port of Fujairah concluded that it was conducted by a sophisticated state actor. We are confident that Iran bears responsibility for that attack."[88]
The position on the June incident was challenged on Twitter byopposition leaderJeremy Corbyn, who questioned the existence of "credible evidence" and cautioned against fueling a war with rhetoric, an objection Hunt called "pathetic and predictable", before rhetorically questioning Corbyn's patriotism.[89]
Crown Prince of Saudi ArabiaMohammad Bin Salman Al Saud blamed Iran for the attacks.[90][91] Saudi Arabian Energy MinisterKhalid al-Falih urged a "swift and decisive response" to the incident.[citation needed] Saudi Minister of Foreign AffairsAdel al-Jubeir expressed support for the U.S. position, saying that "Iran has a history of doing this".[4]
Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu said that "the world needs to back the US" in the incident.[92]
The German government urged "a spiral of escalation must be avoided".[70] Responding to the video released by the US Central Command, German Foreign MinisterHeiko Maas remarked that "to make a final assessment, this is not enough for me".[93] Later, ChancellorAngela Merkel stated there was "strong evidence" that Iran was behind the attacks,[9] adding "we must do everything to solve the conflict with Iran in a peaceful way".[94]
The Italian Foreign MinisterEnzo Moavero said: "We do think that there is room for finding a way for peace and stability in the world".[95] Meanwhile,Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's Foreign Minister, said: "I believe that the main task of foreign ministers is to avoid war... you really shouldn't make the mistake of believing that you can solve a problem in the Middle East with weapons".Pekka Haavisto, his Finnish counterpart stated there should be "a proper investigation [to put] all the facts on the table and then we can look what really has happened, who is behind this".[95]
General Secretary of the Communist Party andChinese PresidentXi Jinping toldhis Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani during anSCO meeting that China would promote ties with Iran regardless of developments from the incident.[96] State councillor and Chinese foreign ministerWang Yi asked for all parties involved to "not open aPandora's box".[97] Russian Deputy Foreign MinisterSergei Ryabkov warned "against hasty conclusions, against attempts to lay the blame at the door of those we don't like".[98]
On 14 June 2019 Norwegian Foreign MinisterIne Marie Eriksen Søreide while expressing concern said "On the Norwegian side, we await the final results of the investigation" and "We encourage all actors to show restraint and avoid actions that contribute to further escalation" The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes the attacks increase the tension in the area. The Norwegian Maritime Directorate has gone out to warn five Norwegian ships that are in the Gulf of Oman.[51]
On 15 June 2019,Prime Minister of Japan Shinzō Abe "resolutely denounced" the attacks on both ships, though he did not point to any one country. His statement came following a telephone call withU.S. President Donald Trump.[99] After reviewing the video evidence, a source close to Abe said "These are not definite proof that it's Iran" behind the attacks, and "even if it's the United States that makes the assertion, we cannot simply say we believe it".[10]
TheUnited Nations Security Council met on 13 June in a closed door meeting with a briefing by US acting Ambassador regarding Washington's assessment that Iran was responsible for the suspected attack on two tankers in the strategic sea lane.[100][101]
Paulo d'Amico, the chairman of theInternational Association of Independent Tanker Owners, expressed concerns for the safety of other vessels in the region and their crews.[40] As a result of the incident, shipping through the Strait has slowed, due to concerns of further damage.[102]
TheArab League Secretary-GeneralAhmed Aboul Gheit called on theUnited Nations Security Council to take action against those responsible and maintain maritime security.[103] After meeting with UN Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres at UN headquarters in New York on 14 June, Aboul Gheit also stated “We believe that responsibilities need to be clearly defined... The facts will be revealed, I am sure, it’s only a matter of time.” Amid U.S. accusations of Iran's involvement in the attack, Abuol Gheit said "My call to my Iranian – and I call them Iranian brothers: Be careful and reverse course because you’re pushing everybody towards a confrontation that no one would be safe if it happens."[88]
Following a month-long decrease, the price of oil initially increased by 4% after the incident, then settled to an increase of 2%. The increase in oil prices has been attributed to uncertainty regarding the supply of oil, due to reduced shipping in the Strait of Hormuz as a result of this incident.[102][104] On 17 June, the price of oil returned to its previous decreasing trend, falling by 1.7%.[105]
The price of insurance for cargo ships has also risen in response to the event, which could increase oil prices.[102]Bloomberg reported that thewar risk insurance premium for the Persian Gulf – which had already increased following the May incidents – jumped from US$50,000 to US$185,000 for supertankers.[106]
{{cite news}}:|first1= has generic name (help)The small white patrol craft in the video is typical of the type used by Iran's IRGC (Revolutionary Guards) Navy in the Gulf.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 2019 | |
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