Analyst: New Photos Are ‘Smoking Gun’ Proving Iranian Involvement in Tanker Attack

[F-22Raptor]

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 magnets and/or nails and detonated by a timer,” read a statement from U.S. Central Command. “Following the attack, sailors from the Kokuka Couragous discovered a second, unexploded, limpet mine on their vessel and abandoned ship.”

After the crew left the ship, CENTCOM said a Gashti Class patrol boat approached the Kokuka Courageous and recovered the unexploded mine.

Additional detailed images shot from alongside Kokuka Courageous taken from the crew of USS Bainbridge (DDG-96), show a greenish-grey base attached to the hull, what CENTCOM says is the remains of the removed mine.

Iran is responsible for the attack based on video evidence and the resources and proficiency needed to quickly remove the unexploded limpet mine,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

After reviewing the CENTCOM release provided to USNI News, Washington, D.C.-based naval analyst Scott Truver told USNI News the pictures CENTCOM put out on Monday amounted to a certainty that Iran was responsible for the attack.

“I have no doubt and I’ve talked to some of [explosive, ordnance and disposal] friends and we’re all in agreement – it’s a smoking gun,” he said.

In addition to the imagery, CENTCOM released a detailed timeline of the attacks and the U.S. response.

Iran has continued to deny that they were responsible for the attack.

Earlier on Monday, the Pentagon announced an additional 1,000 troops are being sent to U.S. Central Command as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to be high following the attacks on Kokuka Courageous

At the request of CENTCOM, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has, “authorized approximately 1,000 additional troops for defensive purposes to address air, naval, and ground-based threats in the Middle East,” read the statement.

“The recent Iranian attacks validate the reliable, credible intelligence we have received on hostile behavior by Iranian forces and their proxy groups that threaten United States personnel and interests across the region.”

The troop buildup and the rebuke from CENTCOM come after Iranian officials announced they were set to break a prohibition on stockpiling uranium in ten days and maybe begin enriching uranium to levels that would violate the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The U.S. suspended their involvement early on in the Trump administration and renewed sanctions on Iran.

https://news.usni.org/2019/06/17/an...-proving-iranian-involvement-in-tanker-attack

 

[litman]

"new photos" and "new reports" also showed iraq had WMDs and chemical weapons. the world has seen enough of this US BS. this is nothing new.

 

[Piotr]

View attachment 565797

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 magnets and/or nails and detonated by a timer,” read a statement from U.S. Central Command. “Following the attack, sailors from the Kokuka Couragous discovered a second, unexploded, limpet mine on their vessel and abandoned ship.”

After the crew left the ship, CENTCOM said a Gashti Class patrol boat approached the Kokuka Courageous and recovered the unexploded mine.

Additional detailed images shot from alongside Kokuka Courageous taken from the crew of USS Bainbridge (DDG-96), show a greenish-grey base attached to the hull, what CENTCOM says is the remains of the removed mine.

Iran is responsible for the attack based on video evidence and the resources and proficiency needed to quickly remove the unexploded limpet mine,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

After reviewing the CENTCOM release provided to USNI News, Washington, D.C.-based naval analyst Scott Truver told USNI News the pictures CENTCOM put out on Monday amounted to a certainty that Iran was responsible for the attack.

“I have no doubt and I’ve talked to some of [explosive, ordnance and disposal] friends and we’re all in agreement – it’s a smoking gun,” he said.

In addition to the imagery, CENTCOM released a detailed timeline of the attacks and the U.S. response.

Iran has continued to deny that they were responsible for the attack.

Earlier on Monday, the Pentagon announced an additional 1,000 troops are being sent to U.S. Central Command as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to be high following the attacks on Kokuka Courageous

At the request of CENTCOM, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has, “authorized approximately 1,000 additional troops for defensive purposes to address air, naval, and ground-based threats in the Middle East,” read the statement.

“The recent Iranian attacks validate the reliable, credible intelligence we have received on hostile behavior by Iranian forces and their proxy groups that threaten United States personnel and interests across the region.”

The troop buildup and the rebuke from CENTCOM come after Iranian officials announced they were set to break a prohibition on stockpiling uranium in ten days and maybe begin enriching uranium to levels that would violate the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The U.S. suspended their involvement early on in the Trump administration and renewed sanctions on Iran.

https://news.usni.org/2019/06/17/an...-proving-iranian-involvement-in-tanker-attack

Pathetic US terrorists and their propaganda.

 

[Sineva]

Yes,I`m afraid that us credibility is rather,shall we say.."tarnished"..?,after the "iraqi wmd" fiasco.
Oh..and trumps literally incessant lying doesnt help americas rep any either.

 

[hussain0216]

Rubbish!!!
Its the warmongering Americans again

 

[Shapur Zol Aktaf]

Propaganda. No one placed a mine, it's alleged that they took the mine away (well done if true for preventing further damage).
Also the boat could be a replica with MEK or Israeli sailors on them dressed as IRGC.
Many more hollywood/fake scenarios are possible since US regime and its jewish backers are known for being deceivers.
Or this was probably a "trap" by US/Israeli/Saudi alliance. They first attacked the oil tanker by their drones (the flying objects), then Iran came to look around to see what's happening, and they removed a US placed object (could be anything). Then they made the picture.
Or US forces saw no one believes them because at first they said it's a torpedo attack, then they made this hollywood movie of Iranians taking away a mine, at the same time Japanese owner of the tanker said flying objects and bullets hit the oil tanker (probably US drones).
So this whole made up story is nonsense.

 

[FalconStar]

Well what was the US Navy doing there, recording the video like a social media warrior.
Why not send in all your guns and stop or arrest these alleged criminals.

It's always very convenient for US to be at the right place and time.
How come they were recording or were near this very ship when this incident was taking place.
I'm no expert, but I think hundreds of ships cross these waters everyday, are they recording all of them?

 

[Mrc]

How did iranians know that there was an un exploded mine stuck to tanker in first place


And also

Is it a joke to remove such un exploded mine on high seas ?? Without causing them to explode

I am sorry the story thats going along with pics is simply not making sense


Iranians accepted the risk that mine might explode during removal thus killing all of them and providing strongest proof against them ... Just to remove evidence that can hardly be linked to them ??? And again how did they know about un exploded mine????

Any one can be standing on that boa wearing iranian uniform .. No faces are visible ..

I am not saying ianians are innocent but evidence is not convincing

 

[Raghfarm007]

Still havent seen the "iranians" take anything away!
If they are indeed Iranian... they were just near the ship...nothin was attached or removed as far as the videos show

I call bullsheet on this

 

[litman]

keeping in view the comments of most of the members here it seems it is not possible for any american to sell american BS here on pdf. this is not UN and members here have the right to support the truth.

 

[newb3e]

sauds are believers!

 

[TruthHurtz]

The US is still following the pattern of the little gay boy who cried wolf.

Lets break this down, or "lets unpack this" as redditcucks would say.

1. Explosion! Something hits Jap/Norwegian tanker in Persian gulf, they send out distress signal.

2. Iran responds and sends boats to investigate, as any normal nation would if something blew up across their maritime border.

3. Iranian boat supposedly discovers mine, above the waterline on tanker.

4. They remove it to preserve evidence and prevent further damage

Americans use the above series of events to implicate Iran in blowing up tankers because Iran is just metaphysically evil and simply wants pain and destruction in general.

Que mental gymnastic explanations from zio-boomercons

-Iran wants to raise oil prices!

-Iran wants to project power/embarrass Trump!

-Iran wants to pressure US into negotiating on their terms!

-Iranians have lost all sense of the basic biological need for self-preservation after their conversion to Islam because they are just evil MOSLEMS who hate crossdressing boys dancing half naked at gay strip clubs.

Considering that the US, Gulfies, Israel have a vested interest in seeing Iran go down. I'm more inclined to believe the opposite of the official explanation.

 

[SubWater]

Only crazy people believe what Americans say.

No those pictures prove nothing.

 

[rambro]

classic false flag,
USrael is not known as the world's biggest terror for no reason

 

[mohsen]

First Americans have to prove those people are Iranian, then they have to show the actual mine on the video.

Until then, their claims is unproven.