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US Navy Plane Captures Damning Footage of Iranians Removing Sabotage Evidence

 By G.S. Hair  June 14, 2019 at 7:48am
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The U.S. Navy has released footage that purports to show Iranian forces in an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (a branch of Iran’s armed forces) Gashti-class patrol boat removing an unexploded mine from the M/T Kokuka Courageous while it was in the Gulf of Oman.

Hours before, an explosion on the Courageous forced Navy destroyer to rescue the 21 crew members. They abandoned the ship when they saw what appeared to be a “probable unexploded limpet mine on their hull” after the initial explosion, according to a report from U.S. CENCTCOM.

Initially, the Navy had received “two separate distress calls at 6:12 a.m. local time from the motor tanker (M/T) Altair and a second one at 7 a.m. local time from the M/T Kokuka Courageous. Both vessels were in international waters in the Gulf of Oman approximately 10 nautical miles apart at the time of the distress calls. USS Bainbridge was approximately 40 nautical miles away from the M/T Altair at the time of the attack, and immediately began closing the distance.”

In this PowerPoint slide provided by U.S. Central Command damage from an explosion, left, and a likely limpet mine can be seen on the hull of the civilian vessel M/V Kokuka Courageous in the Gulf of Oman, June 13, 2019, as the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), not pictured, approached.
In this PowerPoint slide provided by U.S. Central Command damage from an explosion, left, and a likely limpet mine can be seen on the hull of the civilian vessel M/V Kokuka Courageous in the Gulf of Oman, June 13, 2019, as the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), not pictured, approached. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

 

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Shortly after that time, U.S. aircraft observed several IRGC boats in the vicinity of the Altair.

Several hours later, after the crew had abandon the ship and been rescued, “an IRGC Gashti Class patrol boat approached the M/T Kokuka Courageous and was observed and recorded removing the unexploded limpet mine from the M/T Kokuka Courageous,” U.S CENTCOM reported.

The response to the attacks could not have been more clear.

“The U.S. and our partners in the region will take all necessary measures to defend ourselves and our interests,” U.S. CENTCOM stated. “Today’s attacks are a clear threat to international freedom of navigation and freedom of commerce.”

“The U.S. and the international community stand ready to defend our interests, including the freedom of navigation. The United States has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East. However, we will defend our interests.”

After assessing the attacks, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a statement where he asserted, “It is the assessment of the U.S. government that Iran is responsible for today’s attacks in the Gulf of Oman”

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Iran told the UN on Thursday that it “categorically rejects the U.S. unfounded claim” that it was involved in the latest attacks in the Gulf of Oman.

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G.S. Hair
Former Executive Editor, The Western Journal
G.S. Hair is the former executive editor of The Western Journal.
G.S. Hair is the former executive editor of The Western Journal and vice president of digital content of Liftable Media.

After graduating law school from the Cecil C. Humphries School of Law, Mr. Hair spent a decade as an attorney practicing at the trial and appellate level in Arkansas and Tennessee. He represented clients in civil litigation, contractual disputes, criminal defense and domestic matters. He spent a significant amount of time representing indigent clients who could not afford private counsel in civil or criminal matters. A desire for justice and fairness was a driving force in Mr. Hair's philosophy of representation. Inspired by Christ’s role as an advocate on our behalf before God, he often represented clients who had no one else to fight on their behalf.

Mr. Hair has been a consultant for Republican political candidates and has crafted grassroots campaign strategies to help mobilize voters in staunchly Democrat regions of the Eastern United States.

In early 2015, he began writing for Conservative Tribune. After the site was acquired by Liftable Media, he shut down his law practice, moved to Arizona and transitioned into the position of site director. He then transitioned to vice president of content. In 2018, after Liftable Media folded all its brands into The Western Journal, he was named executive editor. His mission is to advance conservative principles and be a positive and truthful voice in the media.

He is married and has four children. He resides in Phoenix, Arizona.
Birthplace
South Carolina
Education
Homeschooled (and proud of it); B.A. Mississippi College; J.D. University Of Memphis
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Culture, Faith, Politics




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