Trump warns Iran over possible oil tanker sabotage

WASHINGTON

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran Monday following mysterious attacks on four oil tankers in a strategic waterway.

"It’s going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens, I can tell you that," Trump told reporters at the White House while hosting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. "They are not going to be happy people."

Asked what he meant, the president was opaque, saying "You can figure it out yourself. They know what I mean by it."

The Trump administration has for more than a week raised the alarm about threats from Iran but has refused to elaborate on specifics.

Amid the heightened tensions, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said Sunday that four commercial ships were hit by sabotage attacks off the coast of the port city of Fujairah.

Two of the ships were Saudi-flagged oil tankers, one was an Emirati vessel, and the fourth was Norway-flagged, according to officials.

UAE authorities did not immediately provide details on the alleged attacks and did not specify the nature of the sabotage or state who is believed to be responsible.

The port of Fujairah is about 85 miles south of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a third of all oil at sea is traded.