UAE Says 4 Ships Targeted by 'Sabotage' off Its East Coast

[TomSea]

UAE Says 4 Ships Targeted by 'Sabotage' off Its East Coast
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates say "sabotage operations" have been conducted against four commercial ships off its eastern coast.
By Associated Press, Wire Service Content May 12, 2019, at 5:55 p.m.

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2016 file photo, an oil tanker approaches to the new Jetty during the launch of the new $650 million oil facility in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. The United Arab Emirates said Sunday, May 12, 2019 that four commercial ships near Fujairah "were subjected to sabotage operations" after false reports circulated in Lebanese and Iranian media outlets saying there had been explosions at the Fujairah port. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili) The Associated Press

By JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates said Sunday that four commercial ships off its eastern coast "were subjected to sabotage operations," just hours after Iranian and Lebanese media outlets aired false reports of explosions at a nearby Emirati port.

Emirati officials declined to elaborate on the nature of the sabotage or say who might have been responsible. However, the reported incident comes as the U.S. has warned ships that "Iran or its proxies" could be targeting maritime traffic in the region, and as America is deploying an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Persian Gulf to counter alleged threats from Tehran.

Tensions have risen in the year since President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, restoring American sanctions that have pushed Iran's economy into crisis. Last week, Iran warned it would begin enriching uranium at higher levels in 60 days if world powers failed to negotiate new terms for the deal

Read more at: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2019-05-12/uae-says-4-ships-targeted-by-sabotage-off-its-coast