June 2019 Gulf of Oman incident
On 13 June 2019, two oil tankers were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz while they transited the Gulf of Oman. The Kokuka Courageous, flagged in Panama and operated by a company based in Japan, and Front Altair, flagged in Marshall Islands and operated by a company based in Norway, were attacked, allegedly with limpet mines or flying objects, sustaining fire damage. American and Iranian military personnel responded and rescued crew members. The attacks took place a month after the similar May 2019 Gulf of Oman incident and on the same day, Iranian Supreme Leader Iran Ali Khamenei met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe in Iran. Abe was acting as an intermediary between US President Donald Trump and Khamenei.
| Part of the 2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis | |
Kokuka Courageous after the fire, with damage shown on the left and the alleged unexploded limpet mine still attached on the right | |
| Date | June 13, 2019 |
|---|---|
| Location | Gulf of Oman, Indian Ocean |
| Coordinates | 25.483°N 57.543°E |
| Target | Merchant ships Kokuka Courageous and Front Altair 1 American drone aircraft |
| Non-fatal injuries | 1 crew member wounded |
| Property damage | 2 merchant ships damaged |
| Suspects | Iran (alleged by the United States, and supported by Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the United Kingdom; denied by Iran and owner of Japanese ship) |
Amid heightened tension between Iran and the United States, the United States blamed Iran for the attacks. Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom supported the United States' accusation. Germany has stated that there is "strong evidence" that Iran was responsible for the attacks, and Japan has asked for more proof of Iran's culpability. Iran denied the accusation, blaming the United States for spreading disinformation and warmongering. In response to the incident, the United States announced on 17 June the deployment of 1,000 additional troops to the Middle East.