
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the U.S. believes Iran was responsible for attacks that damaged two oil tankers near the Persian Gulf. American forces found an unexploded mine on one of the damaged vessels.

A fireball erupted on the Norwegian-owned MT Front Altair after a suspected torpedo attack caused three explosions, forcing the crew to abandon ship.

Sailors on the Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous also had to flee after it was hit by another explosion, in a pair of apparent attacks today which have left the Middle East on high alert.

'It is the assessment of the United States government that the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the attacks that occurred in the Gulf of Oman today,' Pompeo told reporters at the State Department.

'This assessment is based on intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to executive the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping, and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with such a high degree of sophistication.'

Britain has urged 'extreme caution' amid spiralling tensions in the region, weeks after Saudi tankers were attacked in a mysterious act of sabotage off the UAE coast which Washington believes was the work of Iran.

Warning that the Gulf's waters are 'becoming unsafe', tanker industry chief Paolo d'Amico said that 'the oil supply to the entire Western world could be at risk' - as 30 per cent of the world's crude oil passes through the area.

Tehran has said it is 'suspicious' about the timing of the explosions during a visit by Japan's leader Shinzo Abe but Washington has again pointed the finger at Iran.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the U.S. believes Iran was behind a pair of attacks that damaged two oil tankers near the Persian Gulf today

Inferno: A fire rages on board the oil tanker MT Front Altair after it was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman today, in what has been described as a torpedo attack

Smoke pours from the Norwegian-owned oil tanker on Thursday after it was hit by an explosion near the UAE and Iran in an apparent attack which has put the Middle East on high alert

One of the oil tankers burns in the Gulf of Oman today following an apparent attack on the two vessels, just four weeks after similar acts of sabotage against Saudi ships renewed tensions in the Middle East

A map showing the approximate location of the two ships which were seemingly attacked in the Gulf of Oman today in the latest Middle East flashpoint

In the aftermath of the attacks U.S. authorities said Iran was 'highly likely' to have caused the explosions - amid fears that repeated attacks on ships could put the West's oil supply under threat.

Pompeo later said at a news conference in Washington that the attacks on the ships are part of a 'campaign' of 'escalating tension' by Iran and a threat to international peace and security.

He said the United States will defend its forces and interests in the region but gave no specifics about any plans and he took no questions from the media.

In the early hours of this morning, two vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz towards the Indian Ocean caught fire.

What happened to the two tankers in the Gulf of Oman? Panama-registered tanker Kokuka Courageous was damaged in a 'suspected attack' that breached the hull above the water line. The ship was attacked twice in three hours before all the crew were evacuated, the firm said. All of its crew are reported safe with one minor injury. There was an engine room fire on the tanker, which was carrying methanol from Saudi Arabia to Singapore. A second ship, the Front Altair, was 'suspected of being hit by a torpedo'. Its Norwegian owner said it was still afloat, denying Iranian claims it had sunk. The Aframax-class tanker was loaded with 75,000 tonnes of naphtha. It was travelling from Ruwais, United Arab Emirates, to Taiwan, according to trade sources. All 44 sailors from the two ships have been rescued by Iranian search and rescue teams, Tehran's Islamic Republic News Agency. The Bahrain-based U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet said it was assisting after receiving distress calls. Oil prices surged by four per cent on the news. Advertisement

The ships were struck in the same strategic sea lane where four oil vessels were sabotaged last month in attacks Washington blamed on Tehran.

The USS Bainbridge, which had been deployed to the area to offer assistance, reported that crew members saw an unexploded limpet mine on the side of one of the attacked ships.

Magnetic limpet mines are suspected of being used in the May 12 attacks on four tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

After an investigation the UAE concluded that a 'state actor' was the most likely culprit with chemical analysis of the debris recovered supposedly revealing that it was 'it was highly likely that limpet mines' were used.

Today a U.S. national security official told CBS News that it was 'highly likely Iran caused these attacks', when asked about the recent incidents.

In an official response the U.S. ambassador to the UN called the explosions 'unacceptable' while the White House said President Trump has been briefed and American ally Saudi Arabia called it a 'major escalation'.

Iran said the attacks aroused suspicion because they came as Japanese leader Shinzo Abe met the Islamic Republic's supreme leader today in an effort to defuse the crisis.

'Suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning,' said Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif.

Tokyo also revealed that the two tankers had been carrying 'Japan-related cargo'.

Mr Abe had warned yesterday that the tense Middle East standoff, which has seen furious exchanges between America and Iran, could lead to an 'accidental' war.

His talks with Iran's supreme leader appeared to take a wrong turn today as the Ayatollah said Tehran would 'never repeat' negotiations with the U.S. However, Abe said Khamenei assured him that Iran has no intention to produce, possess or use nuclear arms.

Tonight President Trump tweeted in response to the Japanese PM's visit that the U.S. was not 'ready' to make a deal with Iran.

He wrote: 'While I very much appreciate P.M. Abe going to Iran to meet with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, I personally feel that it is too soon to even think about making a deal. They are not ready, and neither are we!'

Meanwhile Russia said it was too early to say who was behind the explosions.

There was also some dispute over who had rescued the 44 sailors, as Iran initially claimed to have taken them to safety but the Japanese owner of Kokuka said the ship's crew were rescued by a Dutch vessel, then taken to a U.S. warship.

As the political reprisals began, dramatic pictures emerged of the fireball which erupted on the MT Front Altair on Thursday morning.

Pompeo told reporters at the State Department that the U.S. assessment was based on 'intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to executive the operation, recent similar Iranian attacks on shipping, and the fact that no proxy group operating in the area' could have done it

This satellite image shows the view from above as a fireball erupts from one of the oil tankers in an apparent attack today

Another overhead view shows a billowing cloud of smoke over the water after what was described as a torpedo attack

One of the tankers burns at sea in a pair of blasts which Iran has called 'suspicious' because the Japanese PM is visiting today

The two ships affected FRONT ALTAIR Sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands, an 'associated state' of the US. Owned by Norwegian firm Frontline and operated by Dubai-based firm International Tanker Management. Was travelling from the UAE to Taiwan to deliver 75,000 tonnes of naphtha, a petrochemical product, to the East Asian country. Chartered for this journey by Taiwanese refiner CPC Corp. All 23 crew members are safe after being rescued by the Hyundai Dubai. Frontline say the ship is still afloat, rejecting Iran's claims it had sunk. KOKUKA COURAGEOUS Sails under the flag of Panama. Owned by Japanese firm and Kokuka Sangyo Ltd and operated by BSM Ship Management. Was travelling from Saudi Arabia to Singapore carrying 25,000 tonnes of methanol. All 21 sailors were rescued, with one suffering minor injuries. BSM say the ship is in no danger of sinking. Advertisement

The Altair had been loaded at a port in the Gulf with a petroleum product known as naphtha, and was on its way to the Far East.

The Altair's cargo was worth more than $30million, according to estimates from trade sources.

Meanwhile, a shipping broker said the Kokuka, which flies under Panama's flag, had suffered an explosion after an 'outside attack' which may have involved a magnetic mine.

The company operating the ship, which was heading to Singapore, said the attack had caused 'damage to the ship's hull starboard side.'

The Kokuka's 21 crew were picked up by the nearby Vessel Coastal Ace, leaving the tanker adrift and empty after an engine room fire.

One of the crew members was slightly injured in the incident and received first aid on board the Coastal Ace, while the Kokuka's methanol cargo is said to be intact.

Iran said its search and rescue teams had picked up the 44 sailors from the two ships and taken them to the port of Jask, although the U.S. disputes this.

Commander Joshua Frey, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, said his command was 'aware' of a reported incident in the area.

The fleet received one distress call at 6.12am local time and another one at 7am and the guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge offered assistance.

Norway has advised its ships to 'stay well clear of Iranian waters until further notice'.

The Taiwanese oil refiner which chartered the Marshall Islands-flagged Altair said the ship was 'suspected of being hit by a torpedo'.

The Marshall Islands are an 'associated state' of the U.S.

Reports said the Front Altair, travelling from Qatar to Taiwan, had suffered three explosions and caught fire after a 'surface attack'.

Iranian news agency IRNA claimed that the ship had sunk, but its Norwegian owner Frontline insisted it was still afloat.

Its crew of 23 were picked up by nearby vessel Hyundai Dubai. The crew was made up of 11 Russians, one Georgian and 11 Filipinos, International Tanker Management said.

This picture released by Iran's state broadcaster showed one of the oil tankers on fire in the Gulf of Oman today after a suspected attack

Another image released by Iran showed smoke pouring from one of the ships, which were said to have been targeted by torpedoes and magnetic mines

Dramatic pictures revealed the fireball which erupted on an oil tanker after it was hit by an explosion in the Gulf of Oman

This diagram shows the movement of the two ships, travelling from left to right with their courses charted in green, before reaching the points (in red) where they were hit by explosions

This picture purports to show the stricken Front Altair on fire after it was attacked in the Gulf of Oman today. The photo was said to be taken from a nearby vessel

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy, put out the first alert this morning.

The UK Government later said: 'We are deeply concerned by reports of explosions and fires on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. We are in contact with local authorities and partners in the region.'

Britain is prepared to assist in any rescue effort or investigation over the 'completely unacceptable' suspected attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, Downing Street has said.

The co-ordinates offered for the incident by the UK group put it some 25 miles off the Iranian coastline.

A tanker owners' association said the attacks appeared to be 'well-planned and coordinated'.

The International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko) told CNN that both ships were both hit 'at or below the waterline, in close proximity to the engine room while underway'.

Japanese trade minister Hiroshige Seko said there had been 'Japan-related' cargo on board the vessels. Japan, a U.S. ally, is was big importer of Iranian oil until Washington ratcheted up sanctions.

Meanwhile Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov cautioned against blaming Iran.

'Lately we have been seeing a strengthening campaign of political, psychological and military pressure on Iran. We wouldn't want the events that have just happened, which are tragic and shook the world oil market, to be used speculatively to further aggravate the situation in an anti-Iranian sense,' he said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the world cannot afford a major confrontation in the Persian Gulf region.

Speaking to the security council today he demanded that 'facts must be established' and said: 'I strongly condemn any attack against civilian vessels'.

The European Union called for 'maximum restraint' to avoid a regional escalation.

Benchmark Brent crude oil spiked four per cent in trading following the reported attack to more than 62 dollars a barrel, according to early market figures.

High tensions in the Middle East, and belligerent rhetoric from Washington and Tehran, have sparked fears that any sudden movement could escalate into a war.

One shipping broker said the Kokuka Courageous (file photo), one of the ships apparently attacked in the Middle East today, may have been targeted with a magnetic mine

The Taiwanese oil refiner which chartered the Front Altair (file photo) said the ship was 'suspected of being hit by a torpedo'

The oil tanker explosions came as Japanese leader Shinzo Abe (left) met Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, right, in Tehran today

Two oil tankers are said to have been targeted with explosions today just weeks after four vessels were attacked in the Middle East (pictured, one of the tankers damaged in last month's acts of sabotage)

Norwegian oil tanker Andrea Victory, one of the four boats damaged in the Gulf, is pictured with a large dent in its stern last month

What does it mean for a ship to sail under a country's flag? Although the two ships hit by explosions today are owned by Norwegian and Japanese firms, they are registered in the Marshall Islands and Panama. Those two nations have more ships registered to them than any other. If a ship is registered in a country - also known as sailing under that country's flag - it is covered by the maritime laws of that nation. A ship can only fly one flag at a time - but its owners are free to change its registration. As a result, some owners seek a so-called 'flag of convenience' which they believe will offer benefits. Panama has often attracted attention in that role. Foreign ship owners pay no income taxes in Panama and have access to cheap labour there. Panama also advertises its 'fast and easy' registration system - saying that the process can be completed in just eight hours. In addition, it boasts that there is no requirement for an owner to be Panamanian. Similarly, offshore firms pay no tax in the Marshall Islands. As a result, according to Maritime Intelligence, Panama has the largest ship register in the world, with the Marshall Islands second in the 2018 list. Liberia, Hong Kong and Singapore, Malta, the Bahamas, China, Greece and Japan completed the top 10. Advertisement

Last month the U.S. deployed B-52 bombers and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to shore up its military presence in the region.

The apparent attack today will send tensions spiralling further as Japan's prime minister visits Iran in a bid to calm the situation.

On Wednesday, after talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Shinzo Abe warned that any 'accidental conflict' that could be sparked amid the heightened US-Iran tensions must be avoided.

But his talks with Iran faced a setback today as the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Tehran would 'in no way repeat' negotiations with the U.S.

The Ayatollah said today that U.S. 'couldn't do anything' to stop his country developing nuclear weapons.

He also took aim at Donald Trump and said he did not believe the U.S. President's offer of 'honest negotiations'.

Mr Abe is the first sitting Japanese prime minister to visit Tehran since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Last month Houthi forces claimed responsibility for sabotaging Saudi oil tankers in the Gulf of Yemen.

Saudi and UAE officials were tight-lipped about the extent of the damage but pictures showed at least one tanker with a hole in its hull.

The mysterious sabotage sent tensions soaring in the Middle East as the U.S. blamed Iran and its allies for the attack - which divers said appeared to be the work of magnetic explosives.

Matters worsened after two pumping stations on a major Saudi oil pipeline were attacked by explosive-laden drones, halting the flow of crude along it.

Last month the U.S. deployed B-52 bombers and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (pictured in the Arabian Sea on June 1) to shore up its military presence in the region

Japan's leader Shinzo Abe (left) speaks at a press conference with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani (right) in Tehran yesterday. Mr Abe warned of an 'accidental conflict' in the region

Timeline: Escalation in the Gulf region May 5: The U.S. says it is sending the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group and a bomber task force to the Middle East because of a 'credible threat' from Iran. Since then Washington has announced the dispatch to the region of an amphibious assault ship, a Patriot missile battery and an extra 1,500 troops. May 8: Iran vows to enrich its uranium stockpile closer to weapons-grade levels starting July 7 if world powers fail to negotiate new terms for its nuclear deal. The U.S. responds by imposing fresh sanctions on Iran's steel and mining sectors. May 12: Two Saudi oil tankers and two other ships are damaged in mysterious 'sabotage attacks' off the coast of Fujairah, part of the United Arab Emirates. Washington believes Iran is to blame for the attacks, but Tehran denies involvement. May 14: Yemen's pro-Iranian Huthi rebels carry out drone attacks near Riyadh, shutting down a key Saudi oil pipeline. Two days later Saudi-led coalition air strikes hit the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa. The next day the U.S. orders all non-emergency diplomats to leave Iraq, due to an 'imminent' threat from Iranian-linked Iraqi militias. May 19: Trump warns that if Iran attacks American interests 'that will be the official end of Iran'. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the 'genocidal taunts' of U.S. Trump will not 'end Iran'. May 27: Trump says the U.S. is 'not looking for regime change' in Iran. May 30: Saudi Arabia - which accuses Iran of being behind the acts of sabotage and the drone attack in May - gets the backing of Arab leaders in its standoff with Tehran at summits organised by Riyadh. Iran accuses Riyadh of 'sowing division'. June 6: The UAE says a multinational investigation into the sabotage attacks point to the likelihood a state was behind them, without incriminating Iran. June 12: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives in Tehran in a bid to mediate between Washington and Tehran. A Yemeni rebel missile attack on an airport at Abha, in southwestern Saudi Arabia, wounds 26 civilians. The Saudis accuse Iran of supplying the weapon. June 13: Two tankers, Norwegian and Japanese, are hit by explosions in apparent attacks in the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. Fifth Fleet says that it received two separate distress calls from the tankers in a 'reported attack'. Foreign Minister Zarif says the tanker 'attacks' as Abe visits are 'suspicious'. Mr Abe meets Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who tells him: 'I don't consider Trump as a person worthy of exchanging messages with. I have no response for him and will not answer him.' Advertisement

The incidents sparked fears of a Gulf war breaking out 'by accident' with the U.S. and Iranian militaries on high alert amid high tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Mr Abe's warning yesterday also came just hours after Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels attacked a Saudi airport, wounding 26 people.

The Saudi-led coalition which is fighting the Houthis in Yemen immediately pointed the blame at Iran, saying Tehran had equipped the rebel group with 'advanced weapons'.

Saudi officials said the attack 'proves this terrorist militia's acquisition of new special weapons' [and] the continuation of the Iranian regime's support and practice of cross-border terrorism.'

A rebel TV network acknowledged the attack and said Houthi forces had fired a cruise missile.

The latest crisis erupted after Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani threatened to abandon the 2015 nuclear deal with the West, which is faltering already after Donald Trump pulled out of it last year.

Tehran has demanded that the UK, France, Germany, China and Russia help Iran to dodge U.S. sanctions, which were restored last year when Donald Trump quit the pact.

Speaking last month Rouhani said Iran would ramp up nuclear enrichment if such help did not materialise.

But the White House condemned what it called Iran's attempted 'nuclear blackmail of Europe' and warned: 'Expect more sanctions soon. Very soon.'

The threat also sparked a backlash from Israel, where Benjamin Netanyahu warned he would 'not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons'.

U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton said Iranian mines were almost certainly behind the May 12 attacks, but declined to provide evidence.

The UAE said last week that initial findings of a five-nation investigation indicated a state was likely behind the attacks, but added there was no evidence yet of Iranian involvement.

Donald Trump's White House has not ruled out military action against Iran, although both sides insist they do not want a war.

A week after the May 12 attacks, President Trump warned that if Iran attacks American interests 'that will be the official end of Iran'.

Zarif retorted that 'genocidal taunts' would not 'end Iran'.

Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said there 'won't be any war' while U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. 'fundamentally does not seek any war'.

The 2015 deal, which then-President Barack Obama helped to negotiate, saw sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for limits on its nuclear programme.

After the U.S. withdrew from the accord it restored crippling sanctions on Iran, exacerbating a severe economic crisis.

European powers have tried to find ways to blunt the impact of new U.S. sanctions, in the hope of persuading Tehran to continue to abide by the deal.

However, their efforts have largely failed, with all major European companies abandoning plans to do business with Iran for fear of U.S. punishment.

Rouhani slammed European countries for seeing the U.S. as the world's 'sheriff' and said this keeps them from making 'firm decisions for their own national interests.'

Under terms of the deal, Iran can keep a stockpile of no more than 300kg of low-enriched uranium, compared with 10,000kg of higher-enriched uranium it once had.

Washington has effectively ordered countries around the world to stop buying any Iranian oil or face sanctions of their own.

The government of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (left) previously warned Donald Trump (right) that its military is 'fully ready for any eventuality' in the Middle East amid spiralling tensions between the two nations

The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain (where three of its ships are moored in this picture), said it had received distress signals from the two oil tankers today

The scene at Abha airport in Saudi Arabia in the early hours of Wednesday as emergency services respond to a rocket attack claimed by Houthi rebels