The United States and Iran have exchanged fresh strikes, with Washington targeting five Iranian oil tankers and Tehran firing missiles at a US base in Jordan.
US forces struck five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday, sinking one of the vessels, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
CENTCOM said four of the tankers were targeted in the Gulf of Oman and were linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). A fifth vessel was attacked near Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil-export terminal. The US said the vessels were part of a multi-billion-dollar “shadow network” that funds the IRGC and its regional allies.
One of the targeted ships, the M/T Riesco, later sank in the Gulf of Oman. Afterwards, CENTCOM released footage showing the damaged vessel. In response, Iran fired missile attacks against a US base in Jordan. Jordanian authorities said its forces intercepted 18 of the 20 missiles, while the remaining two landed in unpopulated areas.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards later claimed responsibility for further attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. State media reported that Iranian forces targeted two US vessels, eight oil tankers and 10 other vessels described as “non-compliant”.
The escalation follows an Iranian attempt to strike a US warship with ballistic missiles. CENTCOM said the vessel successfully evaded the missiles and that no American troops were injured.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Washington’s response, saying Iran’s attacks on US naval forces would lead to further strikes against Iranian tankers.
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