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[webfact]

UAE says 'sophisticated' tanker attacks likely the work of a state actor

By Catherine Koppel

 

FILE PHOTO: A damaged Andrea Victory ship is seen off the Port of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, May 13, 2019. REUTERS/Satish Kumar/File Photo

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates told United Nations Security Council members on Thursday that attacks on four tankers off its coast on May 12 bore the hallmarks of a "sophisticated and coordinated operation," most likely by a state actor.

 

In a document on the briefing to Security Council members, the UAE, joined by Norway and Saudi Arabia, did not say who it believed was behind the attacks and did not mention Iran, which has been accused by the United States of being directly responsible.

 

The attacks required expert navigation of fast boats and trained divers who likely placed limpet mines with a high degree of precision on the vessels under the waterline to incapacitate but not sink them, according to the preliminary findings of the countries' joint investigation.

 

"While investigations are still ongoing, these facts are strong indications that the four attacks were part of a sophisticated and coordinated operation carried out by an actor with significant operational capacity, most likely a state actor," the three countries said in the document.

 

They believe it was the work of several teams of operatives, which coordinated the timed detonation of all four explosive charges within less than an hour.

The May 12 attacks targeted two Saudi tankers, an Emirati vessel and a Norwegian tanker, causing no casualties but fuelling tensions between the United States and Iran during weeks of escalating rhetoric.

 

U.S. national security adviser John Bolton said on May 29 that the attacks were the work of "naval mines almost certainly from Iran." Tehran denied the accusations.

 

A few days earlier in May, at the Pentagon, U.S. Rear Admiral Michael Gilday accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of being directly responsible for the attacks.

 

While the briefing document did not mention Iran, a Saudi diplomat in New York laid the blame squarely on the country.

 

“We believe that the responsibility for this action lies on the shoulders of Iran. We have no hesitation in making this statement," said the Saudi ambassador to the United Nations, Abdallah Y. Al-Mouallimi.

 

THREAT TO GLOBAL ENERGY SUPPLIES

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, acting on concerns of a potential attack by Iran on U.S. interests, has deployed 1,500 more troops to the Middle East, accelerated the movement of an aircraft carrier strike group to the region and sent bombers and additional Patriot missiles.

 

The tanker attacks occurred off the UAE emirate of Fujairah, which lies just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil and gas shipping route that separates the Gulf Arab states - allies of the United States - and Iran.

 

The three countries said the attacks endangered commercial navigation and the security of global energy supplies. They planned to share the findings of their probe with the London-based International Maritime Organization.

 

In the weeks before the attacks, the Trump administration hardened its policy against Iran by fully reimposing sanctions on Iranian oil exports and designating the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization.

 

Trump reiterated this week that he wants to sit down with Iran's leaders to negotiate a new deal, a year after Washington pulled out of an accord between Iran and global powers to curb Tehran's nuclear program in return for lifting international sanctions.

 

Irani Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that Tehran would not be "deceived" by Trump’s offer.

 

(Reporting by Catherine Koppel; Additional reporting by Maher Chmaytelli in Dubai and Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Writing by Mary Milliken; Editing by Leslie Adler)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-07

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[Dumbastheycome]

Contrived for blame but limited to a demonstration ? I have my own thoughts on  where those "agents" came from  and it ain't Iran.

[pegman]

Mossad 

[Tug]

Not sure I believe the ships are damaged let’s see proof of damage I’m inclined to call it bs

[richard_smith237]

14 minutes ago, Tug said:

Not sure I believe the ships are damaged let’s see proof of damage I’m inclined to call it bs

Google it, you can find images of the damage which were widely circulated at the time. 

If you then don’t believe the images, there’s not much else to convince you. 

 

[Morch]

2 hours ago, pegman said:

Mossad 

 

Source?

[Rimmer]

Troll conspiracy post removed

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, Morch said:

 

Source?

Who might fit this description?

7 hours ago, webfact said:

the hallmarks of a "sophisticated and coordinated operation,"

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

fast boats and trained divers

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

a sophisticated and coordinated operation carried out by an actor with significant operational capacity

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

the work of several teams of operatives

Israel?

Shayetet, or Flotilla 13, is the Israeli naval commando unit, mostly equivalent to the U.S. Navy Seals. Considered one of the best special forces units in the world, Shayetet is used for both land and sea operations, long-range missions and hostage rescue situations both in and outside the borders of Israel. https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/idf-special-forces

[Morch]

44 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Who might fit this description?

 

 

 

Israel?

Shayetet, or Flotilla 13, is the Israeli naval commando unit, mostly equivalent to the U.S. Navy Seals. Considered one of the best special forces units in the world, Shayetet is used for both land and sea operations, long-range missions and hostage rescue situations both in and outside the borders of Israel. https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/idf-special-forces

 

You're confusing between "source" and your own "expert" opinion. Of course, that would have to rely on taking the UAE comments at face value, and applying an "analysis" based on nothing much. Kinda funny if considering both the scorn their earlier statements were received with, and the presence of the neighbors right across the Gulf, who could certainly carry out such stuff.

 

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

Regardless of who undertook this 'attack' let the UAE government round up the UAE's young men, stick them in uniform and send their own kids off to sort it out. 

 

Give all those young Emerrati something to do in life other than jumping the taxi line. 

 

 

Leave my kids out of it. 

[Bluespunk]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The United Arab Emirates told United Nations Security Council members on Thursday that attacks on four tankers off its coast on May 12 bore the hallmarks of a "sophisticated and coordinated operation," most likely by a state actor.

Chuck Norris, Stallone, Van Damme or Bruce Willis would have done this in the past.

 

Edward Norton, Michael Jai White, Dwayne Johnson or Liam Nielsen these days could play this role as well.

 

Christopher Walken or Jason Strathem would be very good as well

 

They all seem like they would act out such a mission for the state...

[55Jay]

2 things interest me, 1 of which was addressed (without specific conclusions) in the prelim report.

 

https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/state-actor-likely-to-blame-in-fujairah-tanker-attacks-report-says-1.871530

 

The placement of the devices on the 2 Saudi flagged tankers - same location under the waterline, underneath the superstructure.   1 Saudi tanker further aft.  The Norwegian on the stern.  (See slide 6 of 8 in above link).    Suggests  thought and planning went into this by a group well versed in UDT tactics and procedures.  And that they seemed deliberate in their effort to use the bare minimum explosive to achieve their ends and, perhaps, avoid a potential environmental catastrophe by puncturing any of the (double bottomed) stowage or propulsion fuel tanks.

 

Second is, in the photos I've seen, didn't notice any pronounced listing, suggesting the ships didn't suffer a lot of progressive flooding.  Or they did and had it pumped out and isolated rather quickly and/or compensate by ballasting opposing tanks.  

 

On that, my BG and experience is only military, so perhaps a civilian mariner here could comment about the usual state of damage control readiness on a civilian tanker.  Are watertight doors and hatches typically kept shut on lower decks/engineering spaces?   Are civilian crews drilled and proficient at responding to this kind of event?    Also, my general impression is these tankers and cargo ships run on what I would call a "skeleton crew".  Heck, even in the military with a full crew on a large ship going balls to the wall, it took time to set Zebra and figure out what the hell had happened, and then start to address it.  These crews must have been good, or universally lucky.

Edited June 7, 2019 by 55Jay

[55Jay]

@Gulfsailor  Sorry, don't remember if you are CIVMAR or not.  If so, wonder what you think.  If not, sorry to tag you here.  Cheers, 55J.

[Gulfsailor]

14 hours ago, 55Jay said:

@Gulfsailor  Sorry, don't remember if you are CIVMAR or not.  If so, wonder what you think.  If not, sorry to tag you here.  Cheers, 55J.

Nope.