Iran-Linked Attacks on Oil Tankers in Gulf of Oman Threaten Global Shipping
Two oil tankers are attacked with limpet mines in the Gulf of Oman, with the US blaming Iran in a crisis that threatened freedom of navigation and sent oil prices surging.
In May and June 2019, six oil tankers including those of Japan, Norway, and the UAE were attacked in or near the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. The US military released footage it said showed Iranian Revolutionary Guard speedboats removing an unexploded limpet mine from the side of one of the stricken Japanese tankers. Iran denied responsibility. The attacks occurred amid peak tensions following the US withdrawal from the JCPOA and the reimposition of sanctions. The incidents drew international condemnation and alarmed global oil markets. They illustrated Iran's strategy of using asymmetric pressure on commercial shipping to signal its ability to threaten the global energy supply passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Sources
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- https://www.davemanuel.com/history-of-the-united-states-iran-co… (opens in a new tab)
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- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-48641696 (opens in a new tab)
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- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/23/history-of-us-iran-rel… (opens in a new tab)