Rep. Adam Schiff told CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday that the evidence indicating Iran is behind the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman is strong.
“There’s no question that Iran is behind the attacks. I think the evidence is very strong and compelling. In fact, I think this was a class-A screwup by Iran to insert a mine on the ship; it didn’t detonate, they had to go back and retrieve it. I can imagine there are some Iranian heads rolling for that botched operation,” the California Democrat said.
Schiff, who’s chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said despite the evidence, it has been hard to convince America’s allies to mount a response, “and it shows just how isolated the United States has become. Our allies warned the United States, I think our intelligence agency as warned policymakers that this kind of Iranian reaction was likely — a result of a policy of withdrawing from the Iran nuclear agreement.”
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo likewise blamed Iran for the attacks in a Thursday press conference.
“This assessment is based on intelligence, the weapons used, the level of expertise needed to execute 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,” Pompeo said.
U.S. Central Command then released video of Iranians removing an unexploded mine from one of the ships.
U.S. Central Command Statement on June 13 Limpet Mine Attack in the Gulf of Oman. https://t.co/9S9s3tqHST pic.twitter.com/d71d7d0HOK
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 14, 2019
