Thread by @sfrantzman

Now #BREAKING news Gulf of Oman, month after previous sabotage of 4 tankers; two tankers now report incidents, alleged 'explosions' Iran media says tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1398/0…

https://twitter.com/AP/status/1139049854351659008

here is what we know:

40 minutes ago, around 8:30am reports of explosions were received, these allegedly were received by sources in Pakistan and Oman, and then reported in Iranian media.

And then disseminated to channels linked to those media.

Two "large" or giant tankers

Understand the situation:

The reports received were around the Gulf of Oman countries, we don't know location, but we know that Iran media says these were the reports.

1. "Local sources in Oman"
2. "Pakistan received report"
3. "Iran media reported"
4. AP: UK maritime safety

Other details/rumors; several accounts, probably all relying on one ur-source have provided alleged names of the ships; this relates to two tankers off cost of Iran: Panama and Marshall Islands flags en route from Saudi to Singapore, UAE to Taiwan respectively

Remember Japan Prime Minister Abe was in Japan on Wednesday discussing with Rouhani about easing tensions with US, region etc. presstv.com/Detail/2019/06…

Just now Abe is now meeting with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei according to reports.

Also: Cmdr. Joshua Frey, a spokesman for the US Navy’s Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, said his command was “aware” of a reported incident in the area. “We are working on getting details,” (AP)

My new #BREAKING #breakingnews map has latest AFP and AP details, about the incident in the Gulf of Oman, as they come we will update, see my report @Jerusalem_Post jpost.com/Middle-East/In…

@Jerusalem_Post Some of the important details today from this incident. Here is the original Al-Alam tweet at 8:20 that reported it, also the AFP report from the Fifth fleet around 10:30am confirming a distress signal. Will stay on this all day,

@Jerusalem_Post Updated map based on the report that the US Navy received the calls at 6:12-7:00am and confirmed them later; #breakingnews #GulfofOman #Iran

straitstimes.com/world/middle-e…

@Jerusalem_Post Now #happeningnow the US navy is assisting the two ships aljazeera.com/news/2019/06/u…

@Jerusalem_Post Now reports/rumors are that a "torpedo" struck one of the tankers. How anyone knows this is unclear. Who would make such a determination?

@Jerusalem_Post "Oil tanker Front Altair was carrying 75,000 tons of naphtha, a petrochemical feedstock, when it was “suspected of being hit by a torpedo” around noon Taiwan time (0400GMT), Wu I-Fang, CPC’s petrochemical business division CEO," told Reuters.

@Jerusalem_Post "2 tankers, Marshal Islands-flagged Front Altair and Panama-flagged Kokuka Courageous, had been evacuated and the crews were safe," 4 shipping and trade sources said. Shipping newspaper Tradewinds reported that a tanker owned by Norway’s Frontline had been struck by a torpedo...

@Jerusalem_Post "suspected from an outside attack” that may have involved a magnetic mine on the Kokuka."

Where they get this info is unclear? If you evacuate a ship how can you know what mine was used?
straitstimes.com/world/middle-e…

@Jerusalem_Post New map I made: Shows approximate routes of the two tankers allegedly struck, showing them leave the Saudi and UAE ports before the incident on June 13. #BREAKING #breakingnews #GulfofOman #ایران

@Jerusalem_Post Did you know that Jask Iran naval base is just 30-40 miles from the incident this morning. Jask has been a center of drone and submarine activity and Iran has tested anti-ship missiles there.

@Jerusalem_Post Best timeline of this incident: mideastcenter.org/post/timeline-…

@Jerusalem_Post Read my analysis @Jerusalem_Post jpost.com/Middle-East/An…

@Jerusalem_Post Important, with sources and links, the Iranian naval base just miles from the incident today in Gulf of Oman. This base is where submarines, drones and anti-ship missiles have been tested.
sethfrantzman.com/2019/06/13/tar…

@Jerusalem_Post What you need to know about the Gulf of Oman incident, my article @Jerusalem_Post
1- The incident jpost.com/Middle-East/In…
2- The Jask base jpost.com/Middle-East/At…
3 - Abe in Tehran amid incident jpost.com/Middle-East/Ay…
4 - The analysis jpost.com/Middle-East/An…

@Jerusalem_Post Iranian media reporting not only a fire but that the Front Altair sank. It is unclear if images actually show it sinking, it appears to be on fire and not sinking in this image.

@Jerusalem_Post Look at the damage

@Jerusalem_Post Iran state media: Iran rescues all crew in Sea of Oman.

USS Bainbridge: No you didn't.

@Jerusalem_Post Another image of the tanker Front Altair

According to the report above a P-8 was sent after the attack to monitor developments

Analysis: @realDonaldTrump is in a bind now after the tanker attacks, what will he do amid Iran tensions?
jpost.com/Middle-East/Ta…

@realDonaldTrump Must read UPDATED timeline of the #GulfofOman tanker attack with new details on satellite images, France condemnation, etc,
mideastcenter.org/post/timeline-…

The Trump administrationwill share conclusions today via @JenniferJJacobs

A bit ago: @SecPompeo speaks condemning Iran

Update on the Bainbridge via @DefenseBaron

New details from CENTCOM overnight; one via @KatieBoWill and @CENTCOM #GulfofOman incident

How brazen is this, the US says that the Iranian IRGC removed the mine at 4pm in daylight knowing the world was watching? And the whole story how they tried to forcibly rescue the crew. See photos from the Bainbridge of the nine and then if being taken off (video still)

You can see the original video @USNavy