US strikes three Iranian oil tankers after warships targeted
The US military struck three Iran-linked oil tankers following ballistic missile attacks by Iran targeting American Navy warships in the Middle East.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The US military hit three Iran-linked oil tankers after warships were targeted
- Iranian state media confirmed the strikes, including one near Kharg Island
- Centcom claims the tankers funded the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
- Tensions escalate following the expiration of a 60-day ceasefire last month
The United States military announced it has struck three oil tankers linked to Iran after Iranian forces launched ballistic missiles toward two American Navy warships operating in the region. Iranian state media confirmed that US forces successfully hit three of its oil vessels, with one targeted near Kharg Island. Kharg Island is a small rocky outcrop situated just 15 nautical miles, or 24 kilometers, off the Iranian coast, serving as a critical terminal through which 90 percent of Iran's crude oil is transported from the mainland via pipelines.
Iranian state media outlet IRIB reported no casualties from the strike near Kharg Island, noting that the vessel's cooling system managed to extinguish the fire within an hour. Meanwhile, the crews aboard two other targeted tankers in the Gulf of Oman were safely brought ashore using lifeboats. One of these tankers was empty while the other was carrying a cargo of oil. The US Central Command, or Centcom, stated that its forces successfully evaded multiple attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeting an American aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer, confirming that no US service members were harmed.
Centcom, overseeing Middle Eastern military operations, asserted that the three targeted oil tankers formed part of a multi-billion-dollar shadow network financing the IRGC and its regional proxies. These retaliatory strikes occur nearly a week after hostilities resumed between the US and Iran following a brief period of relative calm. The renewed US military actions began on Sunday when forces struck two rocket launchers to prevent them from being utilized to deploy naval mines within the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The ongoing escalation triggered Iranian retaliations against American interests across the region, affecting locations in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. On Thursday, US Vice-President JD Vance addressed allegations by Iran that American strikes resulted in at least four deaths, including two children, during a wedding ceremony in southern Iran. He stated he remained extremely skeptical of the claims while confirming that the US administration would launch an official investigation into the reported incident.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical choke point for global energy supplies, historically handling approximately 20 percent of the world's oil and LNG shipments. The ongoing maritime conflict and subsequent rise in fuel prices present a significant political challenge for the US administration ahead of the upcoming midterm elections, as American consumers face mounting cost-of-living pressures.
A 60-day ceasefire between Washington and Tehran formally expired last month with little indication of a diplomatic breakthrough on the horizon. Following the expiration, threats of harsher economic sanctions were issued against Iran and any nations conducting business with it. With military engagements and trade retaliations persisting, the prolonged conflict continues to impact global energy markets and domestic economic pressures in the United States.
Source: BBC World
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