U.S. Hits Iranian Tankers Following Missile Fire At Navy Warship
The United States struck multiple Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday following attempted missile attacks on an American Navy warship, a U.S. official told The Associated Press, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations. The AP was first to report the strikes.
The action follows strikes on Saturday, when the U.S. military hit three Iranian tankers after Navy ships were targeted with ballistic missiles. At the time, Washington issued a warning that it would, “if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet.”
In response to Tuesday’s strikes, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy warned commercial tanker crews near ports in Kuwait and Bahrain to abandon their ships immediately, stating that the vessels “will be targeted” whether anchored or docked.
Iranian state television reported that the Revolutionary Guard accused both Kuwait and Bahrain of assisting the U.S. operations by hosting American military forces. Iran also stated plans to establish an “exclusion zone” near the Strait of Hormuz to regulate transiting vessels.
Alongside the maritime operations, the Trump administration on Tuesday introduced new sanctions aimed at isolating Tehran from remaining trading partners. The measures target over two dozen commercial and private airlines, along with foreign cargo service providers.
Control over the Strait of Hormuz remains a primary focus for both nations, as the waterway carried roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply prior to the outbreak of the six-month conflict. A U.S. naval blockade continues to limit Iranian exports from its domestic ports while escorting select commercial ships along a designated transit route off the coast of Oman. Tehran has contested this arrangement, demanding that vessels utilize an alternate route under its direction.
The escalating maritime dispute coincided with a rise in global energy markets on Tuesday, with Brent crude briefly climbing to $99.46 per barrel ahead of the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.
US CENTCOM
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