GUIDANCE

The Suspected Sabotage of Oil Tankers Puts the Persian Gulf on High Alert

May 13, 2019 | 20:41 GMT

A picture taken on May 13, 2019, shows the crude oil tanker Amjad, one of two Saudi tankers that were reportedly damaged in mysterious "sabotage attacks," off the coast of the Gulf emirate of Fujairah.

A picture taken on May 13, 2019, shows the crude oil tanker Amjad, one of two Saudi tankers that were reportedly damaged in mysterious "sabotage attacks," off the coast of the Gulf emirate of Fujairah. Amid the heightened tensions in the area, the region's movers and shakers are avoiding jumping to conclusions after the incident.

(KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images)

There are more questions than answers following an incident in the Gulf of Oman that could raise the stakes in a battle pitting Iran against its regional adversaries and the United States. On May 12, four oil tankers off the coast of the Emirati port of Fujairah suffered damage in what the United Arab Emirates has described as sabotage. At this point, officials have yet to provide definitive proof that foul play actually occurred. If subsequent investigation, or emerging evidence, does point to an attack of some kind, the ultimate identity of the culprits is likely to define the response to the incident....

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