John from Maine

I question everything! I am here to have fun.
Tech geek. BOOMER. Married. Retired.

[Middle East OSINT @Mid_East_OSINT]

Three supertankers were crossing the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday carrying oil bound for Asian markets, after ​waiting in the Gulf for more than two months with 6 million barrels of Middle East crude on board, while another was entering, ‌shipping data on LSEG and Kpler showed.

. . . . .

South Korean-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Universal Winner, ​carrying 2 million barrels of Kuwaiti crude loaded on March 4, was exiting the strait following the departure of two Chinese tankers on Wednesday, the data ​showed. Kpler data showed the tanker is heading to Ulsan, where the country's largest refiner SK Energy is located, to discharge ⁠its cargo on June 9.

. . . . .

Before ​the war began, shipping traffic through the strait averaged 125 to 140 daily passages, and 20,000 seafarers remain stranded inside the Gulf on board hundreds of ships.

Shipping traffic ​has averaged 10 vessels going into and out of the strait in recent days and has included cargo vessels and other ships such as chemical and liquefied petroleum tankers, with crude oil tankers still representing a small proportion of the total volume, according to Reuters analysis based on ship tracking data.

Around 10 ships crossed the strait in the past 24 hours and included small cargo ships ​and a chemical tanker crossing into the Gulf, according to data from Kpler and satellite analysis from data analytics specialists SynMax.

https://t.co/n8a6hdm7Fe

[U.S. Central Command @CENTCOM]

A U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter patrols near a commercial vessel transiting regional waters as American forces enforce the maritime blockade against Iran. As of May 20, U.S. forces have redirected 90 ships and disabled 4 to ensure compliance.

[Shin @hey_itsmyturn]

𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐅𝐮𝐫𝐲 targets Iran's shadow banking system and petroleum smuggling networks, designating over 50 entities including the 𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 currency house and 19 vessels that collectively facilitate billions in sanctions evasion revenue.

𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐋𝐒:
• 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐟 𝐄𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐢 (Turkish/Iranian/Dominican national) - Owner and operator of Amin Exchange, maintains multiple citizenships through investment schemes
• 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢 (Iranian national) - CEO of Amin Exchange and former IRGC officer
• 𝐀𝐥𝐢 𝐇𝐚𝐳𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨 (Turkey-based Iranian national) - Board member of Amin Exchange
• 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐄𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐢 (Turkish/Iranian national) - Brother of Yousef Ebrahimi, Amin Exchange employee

𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐄𝐒:
• 𝐄𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐢 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 (𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞) - Iran-based foreign currency exchange house facilitating hundreds of millions in transactions for sanctioned Iranian banks including NIOC and PGPICC
• 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐛𝐨 𝐉𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐢 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨., 𝐋𝐭𝐝. - China-based front company
• 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 - Hong Kong-based front company
• 𝐕𝐢𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 - Hong Kong-based front company
• 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐋𝐋𝐂 - UAE-based front company
• 𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐙𝐄 - UAE-based front company
• 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐅𝐙𝐄 - UAE-based front company
• 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 - Hong Kong-based front company
• 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨., 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 - Hong Kong-based front company

𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐒 (𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐭):
• 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐋 (IMO 9177583) - Barbados-flagged LPG tanker, owned by Great Sail Shipping Limited
• 𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐖𝐀𝐕𝐄 (IMO 9387152) - Palau-flagged products tanker, owned by Ow Maritime Incorporated
• 𝐒𝐖𝐈𝐅𝐓 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐍 (IMO 9246803) - Panama-flagged chemical/oil tanker, owned by Arden Angel Shipping Company Limited
• 𝐌𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐘 𝐍𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑 (IMO 9206396) - Hong Kong-flagged LPG tanker, owned by Verda Gas Co Ltd
• 𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐒 (IMO 9266841) - Panama-flagged crude oil tanker, owned by Ocean Marvel Shipping Company Limited
• 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃 (IMO 9171503) - Panama-flagged chemical/oil tanker, owned by GS Chemical Transportation Limited
• 𝐃𝐎𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐈𝐍 (IMO 8917807) - San Marino-flagged LPG tanker, owned by Science Obedient International Company Limited
• 𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐒 (IMO 9408358) - Cameroon-flagged chemical/oil tanker, owned by Sun Ocean Shipping Incorporated
• 𝐆 𝐉𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐒 (IMO 9131096) - Comoros-flagged LPG tanker, owned by Gjades Shipping Company Limited
• 𝐆𝐀𝐒 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 (IMO 9240419) - Gabon-flagged LPG tanker, owned by Aquila Worldwide Marine Developments Corp.
• 𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 (IMO 9194969) - Palau-flagged LPG tanker, owned by Aurora Business Company Limited
• 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐌 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 (IMO 9225342) - Panama-flagged LPG tanker, owned by Taurus Gas Company Limited
• 𝐆𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇 (IMO 9172636) - Panama-flagged LPG tanker, owned by Veinto Global Marine Inc.
• 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 (IMO 9322279) - Vanuatu-flagged crude oil tanker, owned by Mozart Maritime Inc.
• 𝐕𝐀𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈 (IMO 9252333) - Cameroon-flagged crude oil tanker, owned by Splendid Lexy Trading Company Ltd
• 𝐃𝐀𝐊𝐔𝐒𝐇 (IMO 9278698) - Cook Islands-flagged crude oil tanker, owned by Mekong Lines Inc.
• 𝐓𝐄𝐉𝐀𝐒 (IMO 9326067) - Panama-flagged crude oil tanker, owned by Romy Lines Incorporated
• 𝐋𝐔𝐍𝐀 𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 (IMO 9292187) - Sierra Leone-flagged oil tanker, owned by Global Fortune Shipping Limited
• 𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐀 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄 (IMO 9126015) - Hong Kong-flagged chemical/oil tanker, owned by Sparkling Courage Limited

𝐊𝐄𝐘 𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒:
• Action taken pursuant to E.O. 13902 targeting Iran's financial, petroleum, and petrochemical sectors
• State Department's Rewards for Justice program offers up to $15 million for information disrupting IRGC financial mechanisms
• Economic Fury has disrupted billions in projected oil revenue and led to freezing of nearly $500 million in regime-linked cryptocurrency
• Treasury warns of potential secondary sanctions on foreign financial institutions, including those connected to China's "teapot" refineries
• All designated vessel-owning companies also sanctioned under petroleum/petrochemical sector authorities

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

@kozerog200 @JayinKyiv Silly me, I thought they had to take Crimea, they nope just had to stop the access.

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

@kozerog200 @JayinKyiv This is an absolutely beautiful disassembling of the Russian military "might". This "war" is not conventional, you can't "throw" humans today into the battle and win, tech wins this one!

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

@NatashaCL7 I'm having fun! And good morning to you. Sun is out and we are going into the 80's or some say 90's today.

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

@JustAMomNamedMM In case nobody told you today, I love you and I’m glad that you exist.

[Jay in Kyiv @JayinKyiv]

Update from the Highway of Death, the land corridor between Russia and Crimea is now under the control of Ukraine's Armed Forces.

A week into the campaign - military, logistics and fuel will no longer pass.

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

Mark Fuhrman, former LAPD detective who investigated OJ Simpson, is dead https://t.co/dr6uOMggor

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

Grateful Dead - Iko Iko (Philadelphia, PA 7/7/89) (Official Live Video) https://t.co/FC2w7IAxNy via @YouTube

"One of the largest crowds to see the Grateful Dead perform live in the 1980s and 1990s, at the last-ever concert at Philadelphia's JFK Stadium, the July 7, 1989 audience was treated with one of the best shows of 1989, a year that's widely considered one of the most consistently great of the Dead's 30 year touring history. Opening with Hell In A Bucket, the band then jumped right into their unofficial party anthem, a song that was always certain to get everyone up and dancing: Iko Iko. This staple of the New Orleans sound at which the Dead were adept at playing was always a buoyant, ebullient entry in any Grateful Dead setlist. As you'll see in the video, the band has much fun playing it on this night as we all had dancing to it." - David Lemieux

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

@JustAMomNamedMM That was rude of your phone!

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

@hwinkler4real My friend David says come to Maine, we have Mr. brown and then some. Great fishing above Moosehead.

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

@JayinKyiv How does this end? I can't figure out this war or the other one.

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly condemned Russia’s 2022 invasion and demanded Russia withdraw from Ukraine, which reinforces the basic legal picture: Russia is the aggressor state in this war, not the victim of a planned invasion.

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

Absolutely no country is even threatening to invade Russia. The defensive posture Russia takes is complete bullshit. They are the aggressor. Any proof that any country has intentions of invading Russia?

Yes, your statement is basically right.

There is no credible proof that NATO, Poland, the Baltics, Ukraine, or anyone else has a plan to invade and conquer Russia. Russia is surrounded by countries arming themselves because Russia invaded its neighbors, not because they plan to march on Moscow. That “we’re just defending ourselves” line is Kremlin propaganda dressed up as strategy.

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

Did you just say Kaliningrad?

Let's skip the bullshit. And give me your FINAL answer.

Kaliningrad is squeezed, not sealed. It is not “cut off from the world,” but Putin’s war has turned Russia’s Baltic fortress into a logistics hostage surrounded by NATO and EU states.

Fine! I'll take that and move on.

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

@msw5991 We need a certain type of crude that we import.

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

The US is the largest crude oil producer in the world.

The US is a net exporter of total petroleum.

Here’s the part people miss, we still import crude oil.

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

Reports indicate a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper was shot down over Houthi-controlled western Yemen, with circulating wreckage photos appearing consistent with an MQ-9.

Claims that it was carrying AGM-114R9X “Flying Ginsu” Hellfires are not yet independently confirmed. An MQ-9 can carry Hellfire missiles, but identifying the exact R9X variant from general wreckage imagery is much harder without clear missile markings or official confirmation.

Bottom line: real shootdown, Hellfires not confirmed yet.

[John from Maine @SnipersEdge69]

U.S. Prepare Ground Invasion Of Iran - IRGC Arm Pro-Regime Civilians?

A US ground invasion? Shit!

The U.S. is discussing renewed/expanded military options against Iran, including some hypothetical limited ground operations, but a full U.S. ground invasion is not confirmed.

What is verified: U.S. officials are discussing military options on Iran, and it's reported the Pentagon had prepared options that could include limited ground operations, such as seizing Iranian islands, enforcing/blockading oil routes, or possibly securing highly enriched uranium.

Trump has reportedly not made a decision and White House officials called ground operations “hypothetical.”

The latest report says Trump is expected to meet with top national security advisers Tuesday to discuss options for military action.

U.S. forces are heavily postured near Iran, but official language points to blockade/Strait operations, not an announced invasion.

IRGC Arm Pro-Regime Civilians?

The IRGC does include armed loyalist forces, and AP has evidence of armed pro-regime TV figures, but no solid proof yet of a nationwide civilian arming campaign.