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The situation for the many thousands of crew aboard the stuck ships within the Persian Gulf has become critical as the temperatures rise into the 50's, supplies of food, drinking water and medical needs have dwindled. Shipping companies and agents are also struggling to repatriate crews who have been stuck in the region for months.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the UN along with the Gulf States are trying to push for a 30 day humanitarian corridor that will allow ships and their crews to pass out of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz without fear of ship seizure or kinetic attack from either side of the conflict. The move toward a 30-day corridor is not merely a diplomatic suggestion but a structured response emerging from the IMO seafarer evacuation framework. Under the leadership of Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, the IMO Council has been working to coordinate with regional powers to prevent the escalation of a maritime humanitarian crisis. The legal foundation for this action rests on the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), which mandate the protection and well-being of crew members regardless of regional conflict. The current crisis stems from a convergence of military activity and the breakdown of traditional protocols for safe passage through maritime corridors. When commercial shipping lanes are used as leverage in regional conflicts, the standard insurance and regulatory protections for seafarers often fail. The proposed 30-day corridor is designed to act as a release valve, allowing shipowners to fulfil their repatriation obligations without the immediate threat of seizure or kinetic attack. It also aims to restore access to critical supplies, as reports indicate that many stranded seafarers in the Persian Gulf are struggling with dwindling medical supplies and limited contact with their families. – A mandatory 30-day ceasefire specifically for non-combatant merchant vessels within designated transit lanes. – Coordinated surveillance by international naval forces to provide “blue safe” monitoring of all transiting hulls. – Facilitated crew changes at designated regional hubs to replace exhausted seafarers with fresh relief personnel. – Clear technical corridors that bypass active minefields or high-risk military zones currently obstructing the Strait. – Temporary suspension of regional transit fees for vessels utilizing the humanitarian exit route.Operational Fallout: Rerouting, Insurance, and Logistics The maritime world is watching the UN and IMO with bated breath. While the technical details of the evacuation framework are being finalized, the reality for those on the water is one of anxious waiting. A 30-day corridor represents more than just a logistical solution; it is a necessary reaffirmation of seafarers’ neutrality in global conflict. If the international community fails to secure this safe passage, the humanitarian cost will eventually outweigh the strategic value of the blockade itself. And : Nautilus backs UN push for Strait of Hormuz humanitarian corridor as 20,000 seafarers stranded (Nautilus - May 21, 2026) This humanitarian corridor would be safer and potentially more successful than Project Freedom, it would allow not just current crew to go home but to enable replenishment of ships and the boarding of new crew. The ships could then continue their voyages to their destinations after being held as virtual prisoners for so many months. As the summer temperatures start to rise and supplies decrease by virtue of almost impossible logistics, the situation aboard the ships has become desperate. Hopefully both sides of the conflict will allow this 30 day humanitarian corridor to go ahead...lives could well depend on it. |
If they let the crews go, BL they'll lose their human shields.
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Definition of ceasefire?
Israel seizes castle in Lebanon as it expands ground offensive https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdep04kzz5wo
I think DJT will struggle to get Iran to agree to terms as long as Israel keeps this up. BV |
Originally Posted by Bob Viking
(Post 12094801)
Israel seizes castle in Lebanon as it expands ground offensive https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdep04kzz5wo
I think DJT will struggle to get Iran to agree to terms as long as Israel keeps this up. BV |
Let's be careful about thread drift.
With that caution made, as I understand the current Iranian position the two things that BV mentioned are related to getting this conflict to end. |
Originally Posted by Bob Viking
(Post 12094801)
Israel seizes castle in Lebanon as it expands ground offensive https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdep04kzz5wo
I think DJT will struggle to get Iran to agree to terms as long as Israel keeps this up. BV |
Alaskan tanker hit shrapnel
yesterfday I saw 168th Wing KC-135R departing the Hall with some battle damage on its rear port side fuselage so here are my photos below.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....12d5720cde.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....7f969ceeef.jpg cheers |
https://x.com/NatSec_News/status/206...611549724?s=20 Iran has unblocked fifty of sixty nine tunnel entrances that were blocked by U.S. and Israeli strikes at underground missile sites, according to CNN analysis of satellite imagery of the facilities. “The Iranians have exceeded all timelines the 'IC' had for reconstitution,” one U.S. official told CNN. |
What a waste of time, money, lives and the damage done to the world econony. Moronic!
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What's Going on With Shipping latest video has PROOF of a mine...!
Mine @ 3:00 Also says that any AIS info should be taken with a pinch of salt.. |
Originally Posted by gsky
(Post 12094982)
What a waste of time, money, lives and the damage done to the world econony. Moronic!
USA economy depends on military spending -rockets, bombs, assets etc. So, every bomb dropped in Iran means- a few hundred working positions back home. Israel is no different, much of Europe too. It is always open vacancy for next "enemy"- that has leadership willing to accept bombs over their teritories. Such leaders/ countries should meet a few preconditions before bombing: 1. Teritory that bas no big impact over sourounding countries 2. Citizens willing to die for Great Leader 3. Some military able to give resistance ( if anyhow possible w/o USA victims) ... Some of such leaders got a few % remitance from western military sector, but many works pro bono. :E So far, Iran has proved to be excellent player in such game. Big country- that could accept a lot bombs Leadership works pro bono A very few casualties caused by enemy fire ( most of them locals in Gulf countries) Iran action keeps price of oil high ( 10% of 100 is more than 10% of 50) And so on. But, to be honest, there are also positive sides of these sad stories- electrification in Europe and energy independence got new momentum- that is good.. |
Todays updates from the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandab Strait and the ports and anchorages across the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman...........plus the US and Iran trading blows......again, Kuwait on the defensive......again and an insight from Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince
There have been some exchanging of blows during the weekend and overnight tween the US and Iran, the US have claimed to attacked and destroyed drone launch and control centers on Goruk and Qeshm Islands. This has been largely confirmed by Iranian sources. The US said on Sunday it conducted 'self-defence strikes' on Iranian radar and drone control sites in Iran's Goruk and Qeshm Island at the weekend in what it said was a response to 'aggressive' actions from Tehran. The US Central Command said in a post on X that Iran had shot down a US MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters. Iran has been striking out at Kuwait over the weekend and those attacks are ongoing. Kuwaiti officials have been instructing citizens since the middle of last week to take whatever steps are necessary to remain safe as drone attacks are being defended against. So far casualties in Kuwait have been light as all incoming drones have been shot down Kuwaiti air defences intercepted hostile missile and drone attacks early on Monday, the military reported. "The General Staff of the Army wishes to advise that any sounds of explosions heard are the result of air defense systems intercepting these hostile attacks," the Kuwait Army said in a post on its official X account. Saudi Arabia has, just like its neighbours, suffered significant attacks as a result of what the entire region is calling the "40 Day War" tween the US and Iran, a war that still continues despite a ceasefire being in place. The region has tolerated the Iranian behaviour since 1979, the Gulf States have become resiliant, mindful and have done what has needed to be done to maintain their defensive status, often through being Allied with each other and with several countries worldwide. At the heart of this is Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.... The war that came to be known as the “40-Day War” between the United States and Iran, which began on February 28, 2026, and continues to this day, has posed a profound test for the Gulf Arab states, of which geography has compelled to bear the consequences of Iran’s policies since the 1979 revolution. This challenge has been particularly severe for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which firmly rejects foreign interference, the so-called “export of the Islamic Revolution,” hegemonic ambitions, the destabilization of nations, and the terrorism, sabotage, and loss of innocent lives that stem from such actions. At the center of this crisis, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman remained steadfast in his commitment to wisdom, adopting a strategy of calculated patience to safeguard the security of citizens and expatriates alike. A careful assessment of the current regional turmoil demonstrates that, despite immense risks, Prince Mohammed bin Salman skillfully and calmly steered the ship, sparing the country and its people from indiscriminate ballistic missile strikes and drone attacks. More here : Mohammed bin Salman and the diplomacy of balance to extinguish the flames of conflict (Saudi Gazette - May 21, 2026) Onto the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-el-Mandab Strait There is some very strange behaviour going on in the Strait of Hormuz this morning.......yesterday I highlighted the US flagged fishing boat Jersey Devil.....it is still there. Nearby we now have another ship, also US flagged, the ColinM Sys (name is not recognised by Equasis or any other shipping database). The "ColinM Sys" is - according to its AIS tag "giving orders" so could it be USN in disguise? There are several ships that are stopped in the middle of the strait, including a Chinese bulker, KLS MingYang, that is very close to the two US flagged vessels.... On the Strait of Hormuz image below.....KSL MingYang is highlighted, the two US vessels are purple spot to the left is "ColinM Sys" and green spot below is "Jersey Devil". At time of writing no incidents reported https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....4794ae3533.png The Bab-el-Mandab Strait is flowing well this morning. No incidents reported. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e03e876aeb.png There is very little change from Umm Qasr to Doha, apart from some steady movement on containerships (big green arrows) in international waters off the coast of Iran https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5d4cbb6b3d.png There is heavy traffic both on the move and at anchor on the anchorages from Mina Saqr, Das Island and Jebel Ali. Das Island image below showing one of the many Iranian herders in the area https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....6bf5599679.png https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....9b2e10a494.png On the Gulf of Oman side of the Strait of Hormuz, ports and anchorages from Dibba through Liwa are busy....the image includes one of the Iranian LCT herders https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....1c4d07c748.png Further south Muscat is once again very busy...and with one of the many Iranian herders in the vicinity https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....fe10275b1f.png CMA CGM San Antonio is still unaccounted for along with the remaining crew who were injured during the ill fated Project Freedom. Hopefully they will be home very soon and that the joint IMO and UN humanitarian corridor (I posted above in the thread) will soon happen, the corridor would be organised and monitored by neutral forces and organisations unlike Project Freedom that was organised by one of the combatants in the conflict. That is all for now....more updates in the morning. |
Today:
Video https://x.com/Osinttechnical/status/...635490686?s=20 Over the last 20 minutes: 0600 local: Iran carries out a ballistic missile attack on Kuwait (likely targeting US forces in response to the next event) 0615: CENTCOM confirms it carried out strikes on Iranian radar and command and control sites for drones earlier this weekend. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3c4269c49e.png https://x.com/EGYOSINT/status/2061312317363503191?s=20 CENTCOM says today's strikes were in response to Iran downing an MQ-1 drone. What's puzzling is that the U.S. retired the MQ-1 seven years ago, so either it was operated by the CIA rather than the military, or old airframes are being pulled from storage to replace MQ-9 losses. |
Reference the above Iranian missile attack:
https://x.com/FaytuksNetwork/status/...759256990?s=20 IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News says that the telecommunications tower on Sirik Island was targeted, and in response the IRGC targeted the "airbase from which the attack originated." https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....851ae57015.png |
Bonnielass....
https://x.com/MenchOsint/status/2061...349030374?s=20 Looks like one of the tankers quietly escorted by the US Navy was targeted and caught fire 2-3 days ago (unreported by UKMTO) https://x.com/tom_bike/status/2061217188858491233?s=20 Unreported? 👇 252 m ship spotted in Strait of Hormuz entrance ON FIRE being approached by 4 large speedboats from Iran 🇮🇷 direction while another left the scene heading SE at 26.0972, 56.8303 2 DAYS AGO https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....2f5cbec417.png https://x.com/PrepperCanadian/status...805028772?s=20 According to Chevron CEO there is a lot happening that isnt being reported by UKTMO |
Thanks ORAC
Going by the satellite image on the social media posts and having a look at the charts......the Iranians seem to have moved the "entrance" to the Strait of Hormuz further south in the Gulf of Oman again....there is even a toll collector mooching about too https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ce6b7369e7.png Currently the only ship that bears a resemblance to the one mentioned as being attacked would be the Indian flagged Ripley Pinnacle, a bulker, that has been at anchor for the last 48+ hours and has lapsed the AIS a few times. She came from Yanbu, Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea and was going to Dibba....which is way south of her current plot. There has not been any word from India about one of their ships being attacked, so not sure about her current state. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....786a16d68d.png There is another scenario for the burning ship and no reports being made, however. That ship could be a wreck that has been moved in order to block the Khasab Peninsular escape route (that was used by the 6 cruise ships and several other vessels). On the satellite image there are 5 fast vessels....4 travelling to the burning ship and one coming away from it. There are more than enough wrecked ships (over 40 at last count) for the Iranians to use as blockage points....think back to the Suez crisis of 1967 where ships were sunk strategically to block the canal. The potential is there for Iran to do the same tactic, afterall the Strait of Hormuz at its narrowest point is 21 miles, the water is relatively shallow on the outer areas, so sinking ships already severely damaged would not be an unfeasible game to play. One such ship...and given the position of the ship in the satellite image and her size...would be CMA CGM San Antonio. |
A ship that was reportedly set ablaze by drone attack and subsequently sank that I mentioned last week (due to its odd behaviour of being "lost" twice), the Indian flagged Haji Ali has come into the headlines once again.
She was carrying approximately 4000 sheep and goats that were headed to Sharjah, UAE from Berbera, Somalia. Her crew of 14 survived and were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard. The animals perished. According to Windward, the vessel was operating with its automatic identification system switched off at the time of the incident. Somalia, which has one of the largest livestock populations in Africa, is a leading exporter of live animals to the Middle East. In recent years, the country has taken advantage of Australia's ban on live exports and the war in Sudan to increase its control of the lucrative Middle East market, exporting between four million and six million head of livestock annually and raking in more than $1 billion last year. Livestock exports to the Middle East reach peak levels in May, when the Muslim world gears up to mark Eid-ul-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 12095106)
What's puzzling is that the U.S. retired the MQ-1 seven years ago, so either it was operated by the CIA rather than the military, or old airframes are being pulled from storage to replace MQ-9 losses.
If there are small Iran patrol boats (or those hydrofoil looking things) running about the Persian Gulf, a Predator loitering can let loose with a Hellfire and probably get a mission kill. You don't need a 500 pound bomb for every target... |
CENTCOM:
https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2061419519705223257?s=20 Last night at 11 p.m. ET, U.S. forces successfully intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces based in Kuwait. These missiles were immediately defeated and no American personnel were harmed. U.S. Central Command remains vigilant and will continue to protect our forces from Iranian aggression while supporting the ongoing ceasefire. |
Second damaged/lost E-3G the USAF isn't admitting too?
Still flying out BDR KC-135s for depot repair, so it still might put in an appearance via Mildenhall..... Low quality video https://x.com/EGYOSINT/status/2061392921157316725?s=20 This U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS has remained parked on the same taxiway at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, since March 27. That was the same day the U.S. lost an E-3 Sentry and a KC-135R tanker, with several other aircraft damaged in Iranian strikes. |
Presumably the USAF isn't taking them all out with the A-10, and lost an MQ-1, due to the MANPAD threat.
Maybe the A-10 has had it's day, rather than it's swansong, after all. Video https://x.com/Osint613/status/2061367670574907833?s=20 IRGC fast boats running 24/7 patrols in the Strait of Hormuz, per new footage from Iran's navy. The boats are steering commercial vessels through the waterway and intercepting any that don't follow orders. |
Tight packed - you'd think they'd have learned after the attack at PSAB....
Video https://x.com/mintelworld/status/2061400853181825345 Ben Gurion Airport operating at 1/3 capacity due to ~60 deployed US refuelling aircraft, sparking summer flight cancellation fears, Israel Airports Authority chief says. The main gateway now functions similarly to a US airbase, limiting international civilian traffic. |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 12095344)
Tight packed - you'd think they'd have leaned after the attack at PSAB....
Video There is a saying about placing all of your eggs into one basket. |
Doesn't help Hezbollah - but does help Iran by weakening the IDF air defences against any renewed IRBM attacks against, say, Ben Gurion.
Two separate attack two days running... 8th claimed in total. Videos https://x.com/EGYOSINT/status/2061318262248419560?s=20 Hezbollah has released footage showing another Iron Dome air-defense launcher being struck by a fiber-optic-guided FPV drone. The attack took place on May 26, marking the 7th confirmed Iron Dome launcher hit by Hezbollah FPV drones. https://x.com/EGYOSINT/status/2061411549709832439?s=20 Hezbollah has released footage showing a fiber-optic-guided FPV drone striking another Iron Dome launcher at the IDF’s Jal Al-Alam border site near Lebanon. The strike took place on May 27. |
Video
https://x.com/Tasnimnews_EN/status/2...256137848?s=20 Iran’s IRGC Aerospace Force released the video of detection and elimination of a US MQ-1 drone on early Sunday, after it entered Iranian territorial waters with hostile intent. https://x.com/Tasnimnews_Fa/status/2...369098797?s=20 |
As expected....
https://x.com/FaytuksNetwork/status/...825819593?s=20 Iran suspends all negotiations with the United States – Tasnim Iran has halted indirect message exchanges with the United States through mediators in protest over what Tasnim described as Israeli operations in Lebanon and Gaza, the Iranian outlet reports. Tasnim says Iran and allied “resistance” groups are considering responses including a possible blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and activation of additional fronts, including Bab el-Mandeb. |
Originally Posted by ORAC
(Post 12095366)
As expected....
The agency said Iran and the Resistance Front, which includes its Shiite allies in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq, have set an agenda to completely block the Strait of Hormuz and activate !other fronts, including the !Bab El Mandeb Strait, in !order to “punish” Israel and its supporters. If the Houthis, Iran’s allies in Yemen, open a new front in the conflict, one obvious target would be the Bab El Mandeb Strait off the coast of Yemen, a key shipping chokepoint and narrow passageway that controls sea traffic toward the Suez Canal. |
New Canals through Khasab?
It looks nice on paper, but would need some serious missile and drone (air and water) defenses - along with salvage capability to extract stuck shipping.
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The IMO has stated that it is far too risky to evacuate the trapped seafarers in the Persian Gulf at this time. They confirmed that 11 seafarers have died aboard ships during the conflict so far. Shipowners, agents and seafarers families are desperate to evacuate the 20000 or so people and their ships but until the situation is calm enough and the Strait of Hormuz can be secured there will be an impasse.
Despite the current ceasefire between the United States and Iran, it remains too risky to move the thousands of sailors stuck in the Persian Gulf, the head of the UN's shipping agency said. "We will not be able to activate anything until the root causes are addressed and there is more of a final agreement, a ceasefire, or complete agreement, between the parties involved in the conflict," Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organisation, told Reuters on Sunday ahead of the start of the Posidonia shipping industry week in Athens. There are an estimated 20,000 seafarers aboard vessels stuck in the gulf as Iran imposes restrictions on movements through the Strait of Hormuz. "In the meantime, it's going to be too risky to take any actions in moving the seafarers because there are no guarantees on their safety," Dominguez said. Eleven seafarers have been killed in the gulf since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28, according to IMO data. The IMO has been trying to arrange a safe maritime corridor to enable vessels to exit, including discussions with parties involving Iran in Oman in recent weeks, Dominguez said. "You get announcements that the Strait of Hormuz is open, and then a few hours later, the Strait of Hormuz is closed. We can't take the risk until we have something more secure," he said. As if to reinforce the lack of safety, an MSC containership, called the MSC Sariska, has been holed off Umm Qasr, Iraq A video is being circulated by a pro-Iranian Iraqi media outlet showing an MSC containership holed above the waterline. Alsumaria News is blaming the hole on a mechanical failure, while the report supplied to UK Maritime Trade Operations says the explosion happened following a hit from an unknown projectile on the starboard side. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....078950b9c1.png MSC Sariska's current AIS plot places her in the Umm Qasr anchorage close to the Riviera I accommodation block (blue spot) associated with the Basra oil field installation. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ffad18b1e2.png |
To be honest, the Warthog is prolly the best platform after the AC-130 and the Apache for manned aircraft hitting the PT boats and avoiding the MANPADS, The Reaper prolly best overall for kills but most suscestible to conventional SAMs. Spectre worst for MANPADS, but whoever fires one has bout 20 - 30 seconds to get out the prayer rug to gat ready for the virgins.
The tactic successfully used by Dragonflys and TOW Cobras versus the radar ZSU's and original Strellas at An Loc did fine ( similar AA/SAM threat to Iran now and better gunners), because they flew in two or three ship patterns with somebody on the perch all the time. Same pattern we used for Sandy and Hobo escorts. I flew same area as 2 Strell kills just north of Bien Hoa, but our SLUF turbo fans were very cool and we were 150 -200 knots faster then the OV-10 and other plane they nailed that day. In fact our only SLUF loss to AA was in Cambodia one day after first end of the war and not on a bomb pass over Hanoi - a 57 or 85 nailed him squarely and plane blew up right then. Of course we could fly convoy escort and endure fairly low hit rate but very probabmatic scheduling if nobody attacks the boats. I did that in 'nam in 68 for Army trucks and helos and of course for Jolly Greens and MACSOG insertions/extractions), and then for boats south of Pnom Penh in 73. They shot at our boats from the bank and was hard to acquire them. Guess the mullahs are proving they can scare the boats without having nukes, so maybe the rest of the world needs to pay attention, as they claim to own the Strait and could start shooting at any pretense - remember Salman Rushie or whoever? Gums sends... |
The crew issue is probably more complex than just removing crew. There would have to be a maintenance team on each ship, as you can't just turn everything off on a 100,000 ton ship and go home. Spares and fuel would also seem to be issues, as well as food and water. I don't envy 20,000 crew in steel boats with 50° temperatures....
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Todays updates on the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandab Strait and all ports and anchorages across the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.........plus two soldiers have died in Iraq, what might lie ahead for the Bab-el-Mandab Strait and Japan urging Iran to be more flexible
First today, it has been reported that two military personnel, one from the US and one from the UK, have died whilst serving in Iraq. Few details are as yet available but it is thought that both soldiers died during training at an airbase at Irbil. Families of both soldiers are being notified, names will be released in due course. Sincere condolences go to both families at this difficult time. The US has been reducing the number of troops countering the Daesh group in Iraq. But American forces have retained a presence in the Kurdish region as the US seeks to strengthen ties with the Kurds. The US inaugurated a large new consulate compound in December in Irbil, the capital of the Kurdish region, highlighting Washington’s diplomatic and strategic engagement in the area. With the peace talks on a knife edge, threats of escalation in the war with Iran have once again turned towards the Bab-el-Mandab Strait in the Gulf of Aden. The realities of the Iran proxy, the Houthi, blocking the waterway into the Red Sea has rattled shipowners and markets causing oil, oil product and gas prices to spike. The Bab-el-Mandab is arguably as important as the Strait of Hormuz in relation to trade and security in the region. The concerns were amplified by earlier warnings from Tehran. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said last month that any renewed conflict would spread “far beyond the region”, while senior Iranian officials have spoken of opening “new fronts” and using “new tools” should diplomacy fail. ...........The Bab Al Mandab, located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, serves as a gateway to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. It is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, carrying energy supplies and commercial goods between Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The waterway has already played a major role in recent regional tensions. Beginning in late 2023, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement launched attacks on commercial vessels transiting the strait and nearby waters, saying the campaign was aimed at supporting Palestinians during the Gaza war. Japan's has been stepping up pressure on Iran to be more flexible in their demands for peaceful end to the war with the US and Israel and to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz can be reopened in safety. Japan joins many other countries who are experiencing problems in regard to transit of goods out of the Persian Gulf. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....bd7b057d58.png More on this : Japan Urges Iran to Show ‘Maximum Flexibility’ for US Deal (Arab Times - June 1, 2026) Onto the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandab Strait Some very odd behaviour in the Strait of Hormuz this morning. A cluster of ships, including the British Flagged containership Ever Ethic (image below) have been clustered far north of their usual anchorage at Khor Fakkan, there are Iranian herders in the vicinity. Would this be a sort of hostage or surety situation, no idea at all...but to move ships into what could be made into an easy target for Iran should negotiations fail completely is a worrying sign. Otherwise in the Strait of Hormuz, it is relatively quiet and no reported incidents at time of writing https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....71944cc623.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....932cf77291.png The Bab-el-Mandab Strait is busy and flowing well this morning, no incidents reported at time of writing https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....0e6e4db3f8.png The ports and anchorages across the persian Gulf from Umm Qasr to Doha is extremely busy this morning. The containership, MSC Sariska, has not altered her position from last night after she was attacked twice. Increased Iranian herders are milling around tween the ships No further attacks reported at time of writing. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....cd3a2c19e6.png Once again the ports and anchorages from Mina Saqr to Jebel Ali are fairly quiet this morning, Das Island anchorage is showing few ships...the caveat being that ships are switching off their AIS as a measure to prevent attack, especially following the attack on MSC Sariska yesterday evening off Umm Qasr. No attacks reported at time of writing. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....38f22598d9.png On the Gulf of Oman, the heavy clusters of ships are are back, especially off Dibba and Al Widyyat. Khor Fakkan, Fujairah and Dibba ports are operating. Muscat is very busy once again. No reported attacks at time of writing. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....4984123095.png https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c90dd30a1b.png No new updates on any of the injured crews including CMA CGM San Antonio or if anyone was injured aboard MSC Sariska. That's it for now....more updates tomorrow. |
gums said: To be honest, the Warthog is prolly the best platform after the AC-130 and the Apache for manned aircraft hitting the PT boats and avoiding the MANPADS, The Reaper prolly best overall for kills but most suscestible to conventional SAMs. Spectre worst for MANPADS, but whoever fires one has bout 20 - 30 seconds to get out the prayer rug to gat ready for the virgins. The tactic successfully used by Dragonflys and TOW Cobras versus the radar ZSU's and original Strellas at An Loc did fine ( similar AA/SAM threat to Iran now and better gunners) |
https://x.com/TheGoodISIS/status/206...471289693?s=20 NEW Passive Defense Measures Taken at Fordow Between May 10 and May 18th, Iran added passive defensive measures in the shape of earthen/rocky mounds and other objects on the roads leading to the tunnel entrances of the destroyed Fordow underground enrichment plant. The alternate placings of the piles/objects are very precise, which creates a series of chicanes, indicating they are not intended as obstruction, but a means to prevent rapid ingress and egress by any vehicles (i.e. hindering offensive forces once onsite). The placement indicates that Iranians still want access onsite for themselves, otherwise we would likely see berms all the way across the roads, as previously seen on the roads leading to the Esfahan tunnel entrances. The chicanes leading to the single eastern tunnel entrance may have only been temporary and removed again by May 26, although this needs to be confirmed with higher resolution imagery. This entrance was backfilled by Iran and hit by Israel in June 2025, with a crater, but no penetration hole visible above the tunnel entrance. All tunnel entrances appear to remain buried as of May 26. |
The US have disabled tanker today.
U.S. forces disabled an oil tanker attempting to sail toward an Iranian port on Tuesday after the vessel repeatedly ignored warnings from American forces, according to U.S. Central Command. CENTCOM said the Botswana-flagged M/T Lexie was transiting international waters toward Kharg Island when its crew failed to comply with directions from U.S. forces over a 24-hour period. According to CENTCOM, a U.S. aircraft ultimately disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship's engine room, preventing the tanker from reaching Iran. The military said the tanker was unladen at the time of the incident. CENTCOM began enforcing a blockade of maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13. The command said U.S. forces have now disabled six commercial vessels and redirected 122 others as the ceasefire with Iran continues. Posted by Brittany Miller |
Being reported by CBS;
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fighter...friendly-fire/ A pilot of the F-15E shot down over Iran on 3 April was also shot down in the 3-ship friendly-fire incident over Kuwait in the opening days of the War. |
Todays updates on the Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandab Strait, all ports and anchorages across the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman......plus ongoing attacks against Bahrain and Kuwait, MSC Sariska update and how the Iran war is affecting the gas markets and crews aboard the gas ships
Reports across Bahrain and Kuwait are confirming that both countries are under sustained missile and drone attack at this time. Iran is claiming to have hit the USN 5th Fleet in Bahrain, which the USN denies. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....dad769cb5e.png Iranian missiles and drones target Bahrain, Kuwait; US says threats ‘successfully defeated’ (Gulf Times - June 3, 2026) / Kuwait Army Warns Public Against Touching Missile Debris, Urges Immediate Reporting (Arab News Kuwait - June 3, 2026) MSC have confirmed that their ship, Sariska, was hit twice as she left the port of Umm Qasr. The first hit was at the waterline and the second was on the crew accommodation area of the ship. The harbour pilot was onboard at the time. The company have confirmed that no crew have been injured and that the harbour pilot is also OK. It is thought that a surface USV hit her side and a missile or drone hit the upper accommodation area. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d9fef77fe5.png https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....a99235c8e1.png More on this : MSC Confirms Containership Was Hit Twice by Projectiles Off Iraq (gCaptain - June 2, 2026) A first hand account from a gas carrier indicates the difficulties of living and working on a gas carrier during a war, the issues with war causing problems for the gas markets and the logistics of crewing.... A day before crossing the Strait of Hormuz, an Indonesian seafarer aboard the Al Rayyan tanker published a picture of a rainbow cutting across the bow. “When the dream ship becomes reality,” he wrote on social media, thanking God for the blessing. Then the liquefied natural gas carrier switched off its transponder and began to move out of the Persian Gulf. The Al Rayyan, loaded with Qatari LNG, tailed another gas carrier coming from the emirate, the Fuwairit, which was preparing to cross the waterway under a deal between Pakistan and Iran. For the seafarers in the second vessel, who had no such government protection, it was a safety beacon through a treacherous corridor, mariners recounted later. They slowly entered Iranian-controlled waters, scanning the horizon for other tankers, Iranian patrol boats and incoming drones. There was silence. Then the first ship’s signal also disappeared. Some of the crew prayed. A day later, the two reemerged from their dark crossing, in the Gulf of Oman. After months of waiting, both carriers set off to the east. Onto the Strait of Hormuz where there is an increase of activity in both directions. There are no reported incidents at time of writing https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....577d42e94f.png The Bab-el-Mandab is very quiet this morning, it is flowing well but fewer ships are visible. No reported incidents at time of writing https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b472f5e7b1.png On ports and anchorages from Umm Qasr to Doha.....very busy around Kuwait City, Umm Qasr, Bahrain, Dammam and Doha ports with significant traffic increase on their respective anchorages. As always, the Iranian herders are amongst the ships https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....aa3beed002.png The ports and ancorages from Mina Saqr to Jebel Ali....much quieter, caveat AIS could well be turned off....Ras-al-Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain, Das Island, Sharjah, Dubai and Jebel Ali ports and anchorages are active. Once again the Iranian herders are out and about. No reports of incidents at time of writing https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....58182961c4.png Ports and anchorages from Dibba to Muscat......extremely busy across all ports and anchorages...Dibba, Khor Fakkan, Fujairah, Al Widyyat, Liwa, Sohar and Muscat showing a big increase in traffic both in port and on their respective anchorages. Iranian herders are patrolling but no reported incidents at time of writing https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....4f6b07cd19.png https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....89af45caae.png No updates on CMA CGM San Antonio. That's it for now....more updates tomorrow. |
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https://x.com/EGYOSINT/status/2062054716805206179?s=20 Significant damage reported at Kuwait International Airport after Terminal 1 was struck by Iranian kamikaze drones earlier today. Kuwaiti authorities activated emergency response measures and halted all air traffic, diverting flights to alternate airports until further notice. https://x.com/kuna_ar/status/2062048766367048191?s=20 https://x.com/kuna_ar/status/2062050018060591226?s=20 |
CENTCOM:
https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2061982709723906359?s=20 An additional wave of Iranian drones attempting to attack U.S. forces in Kuwait failed to impact intended targets tonight. U.S. Central Command air defenses successfully downed multiple drones and ensured no American personnel or assets were harmed. |
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