Erev tov Chaverim... Downunder time is 5:46pm...
US military releases video it says depicts Iran removing mine before oil tanker explosion.....
This goes with my post below this one, and I am hearing there will be retaliation for this attack? Time will tell...
"The United States will defend its forces, interests and stand with our partners and allies to safeguard global commerce and regional stability,” Pompeo said.....
The U.S. military released a video late Thursday evening that it says shows Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) removing a mine from a targeted oil tanker, hours after the Trump administration claimed that Iran was responsible for an attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Bill Urban released a timeline and photographs suggesting that the U.S. military observed Iranian vessels returning to the tanker to retrieve the unexploded mine, The Washington Post reported.
“At 4:10 p.m. local time an IRGC Gashti Class patrol boat approached the M/T Kokuka Courageous and was observed and recorded removing the unexploded limpet mine” from the Courageous, Urban said, according to the Post.
Reuters noted that such imagery released by CENTCOM is typically difficult to declassify. The news service reported that Thursday's release appeared to signal U.S. efforts to convince the international community that Iran was responsible for the day's attacks on the Kokuka Courageous and the Norwegian-owned Front Altair.
Tehran has denied the allegations.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said during a press conference Thursday the attacks were at the hand of the Islamic Republic of Iran, without going into further detail of what evidence the United States had.
“This assessment is based on intelligence, the weapons used and the level of expertise needed the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication,” he added, without taking questions.
"The United States will defend its forces, interests and stand with our partners and allies to safeguard global commerce and regional stability,” Pompeo said.
The Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair and the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous were reportedly attacked Thursday morning in the Gulf of Oman, about 25 miles off the southern coast of Iran.
https://thehill.com/homenews/a....dministration/448522
