In response to recent attacks on U.S. warships, the U.S. military reported the destruction of five Iranian oil tankers, while Tehran retaliated against American targets in Jordan. This exchange marks the latest series of strikes in an ongoing conflict that has lasted for over six months.
Following the American strikes, Iran reportedly launched missiles toward U.S. targets in Jordan. Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command did not provide any information on the strikes at the Jordanian airbase.
President Donald Trump has adopted a combined economic and military strategy to address the conflict and work towards its resolution. In a new development, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on additional entities within Iran’s aviation industry, targeting multiple commercial airlines and cargo service providers, as part of efforts to isolate Tehran from its remaining trade partners.
The U.S. and Iran are both vying for control over the vital shipping route of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of the world’s oil transits. The escalating tensions have led to a spike in energy prices, presenting political challenges for Trump and the Republican Party in the lead-up to the November midterm elections, with the international standard Brent crude briefly reaching $99.46 on Tuesday.
Over the weekend, U.S. forces destroyed three Iranian oil tankers following an attempted attack by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on U.S. naval vessels. Iran responded by announcing plans for a new “exclusion zone” near the Strait of Hormuz for transit vessels.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed that the U.S. will not tolerate Iran’s attacks without a response. However, experts caution that the cycle of retaliatory strikes between the two nations could lead to further escalation, posing risks to the global economy.
The U.S. Central Command confirmed the destruction of Iranian oil tankers, including the Kivik, Charminar, Horizon 1, and Riesco in the Gulf of Oman, along with the vessel Derya near Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state television reported U.S. attacks on Iranian oil tankers near Jask and Kharg Island, with the crews evacuated from the vessels.
In response, Iran’s IRGC navy warned tanker crews near Kuwait and Bahrain ports to vacate their vessels to avoid potential retaliation for U.S. actions. The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports has constrained the country’s oil exports, while tensions persist over the navigation route through the Strait of Hormuz, previously recognized as an international waterway.
