US Prepares To Board Iran-Linked Ships Globally Following Iranian Gunboat Attack On Tanker In Hormuz

US Prepares To Board Iran-Linked Ships Globally Following Iranian Gunboat Attack On Tanker In Hormuz

TYLER DURDEN

Summary: 

• US officials: War may resume if no peace talks breakthrough: Axios
• Two Iranian gunboats Open Fire on a tanker near Oman; 2nd tanker hit by 'unknown projectile'.
• India summons Iranian ambassador to condemn incident
• Pentagon prepared to expand anti-vessel action, signals prepared to board Iran-linked ships globally
• Friday: Hormuz Open; Saturday: Hormuz Closed 
• Trump: Iran wanted to close up Strait again, can't blackmail us

WAR will Resume?

Not good, amid reports Pakistan peace talks could also resume, Monday perhaps:

US OFFICIAL TELLS AXIOS WAR MAY RESUME IF NO BREAKTHROUGH

President Trump convened a White House Situation Room meeting on Saturday morning to discuss the renewed crisis around the Strait of Hormuz and negotiations with Iran, according to two U.S. officials.

Reaction by India

New Delhi has summoned the Iranian ambassador to condemn the IRGC Navy's attack on one of its tankers earlier in the day:

US Prepares to Board Iran-Linked Ships Globally

According to the latest headlines there was a second tanker incident: a Container ship reportedly hit by 'unknown projectile' in second incident while other traffic stalls.

Meanwhile on Saturday the Pentagon is signaling yet another major escalation in the latest effort to reassert US leverage over the Hormuz crisis. It is preparing to expand the fight not just to the Hormuz/Persian Gulf regions, but broadly to the high seas.

"The U.S. military is preparing in coming days to board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters, according to U.S. officials, expanding its naval crackdown beyond the Middle East," WSJreports. This means the American military will pursue vessels around the world that are helping Iran, as it steps up 'Economic Fury' as an extension of 'Epic Furty'. WSJ comments further:

The planning comes as the Iranian military continues to tighten its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, attacking several commercial vessels on Saturday as it declared the waterway was being “strictly controlled” by Iran. The developments sent shipping companies scrambling a day after Iran’s foreign minister said the strait was fully open to commercial traffic—an announcement that was welcomed by President Trump.

The past days have seen both sides try and declare and assert control over the vital waterway and their own blockade based on rival 'conditions' for ship passage. But all of this has meant a continued effective closure. US Central Command (CENTCOM) has cited that the US Navy has already turned back at least 23 ships after they were at Iranian ports. In the meantime Trump is still claiming Iran agreed to hand over its enriched uranium - or nuclear 'dust' - but Tehran has made clear it will never do so, dismissing this as a made-up fantasy.

Iranian Forces Open Fire On Tanker 

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reports that a tanker was "approached by 2 IRGC gunboats, with no VHF challenge, and then fired upon."

UKMTO did not provide any further details about the two Iranian vessels that fired on the tanker or the type of weapons used in the maritime incident, which was reported to have occurred 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman.

Assume that President Trump is about to become absolutely furious on Truth Social. One can also assume that backchanneling and behind-the-scenes talks are not going well if an incident like this occurred ahead of the U.S.-Iran weekend negotiations.

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