One ship was of Japanese registry ….
The second one was a Norwegian one…
The attackers are unknown…
But speculation immediately turns to Iran backed action…
Oil prices have jumped up in response to any hint of a the oil supply system being put under attack…
The media has reported on the first Japanese head of state visiting Iran and possibly trying to be a conduct for the Trump admin…..
Donald Trump’s shadow is all over this….
Could he be responsible for a hike in American oil/gas problems in addition to his pushing up import prices for America consumers?
Two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman came under suspected attack early Thursday amid soaring tensions between the United States and Iran.
A Japanese-owned ship was targeted just as Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, wrapped up a high-stakes visit to Tehran to help cool hostilities in the region and potentially mediate U.S.-Iran talks.
The attack appeared timed to undermine those efforts, which Abe had called “a major step forward toward securing peace and stability in this region,” Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported.
Both Iran and the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain said they were assisting the two ships, whose crews were evacuated safely.
A second vessel, owned by Norway’s Frontline, was on fire and adrift in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, a company spokesman told Norwegian media.
The Japanese-owned ship, which was carrying methanol, suffered damage to its hull, a company statement said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Thursday on Twitter that the attack took place while Abe was meeting with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for “extensive and friendly talks.”
“Suspicious doesn’t begin to describe what likely transpired this morning,” he said.
The exact circumstances of the attack were unclear. But the incident follows a similar operation targeting oil tankers in the same area last month, an assault that U.S. officials blamed on Iran. Iranian officials deny involvement….
…
About 80 percent of Japan’s oil imports come from the Middle East and travel through the Strait of Hormuz. Japan is a key U.S. ally but enjoys long-standing diplomatic and cultural ties with Iran.
Abe’s aides said the prime minister’s visit was not part of a specific mission to mediate between the United States and Iran.
Khamenei’s office, however, released a statement following their meeting that said Abe had carried a message from Trump to Iran.
“I do not consider Trump, as a person, deserving to exchange messages with,” Khamenei’s website quoted him as saying. “We will not negotiate with the United States.”….
Note…
This HAS to be a clear message to Japan to NOT carry the water for Trump with Iran…The Middle East supplies Japan with a the majority of its oil….
image…thenational.ae