Iran and US Engage in Widespread Attacks on Shipping in Strait of Hormuz
The conflict between Iran and the US has escalated significantly with both sides launching attacks on each other's ships in the Strait of Hormuz. According to reports, Iran said it had attacked 10 ships near the strait after the US sank five Iranian oil tankers, marking the biggest declared wave of tit-for-tat attacks since the start of the six-month-old war.
The attack sent oil prices surging, with the international Brent crude benchmark breaching $100 a barrel for the first time since July. The average retail price of diesel fuel in the US hit an all-time high of $5.94 a gallon.
A sailor stands on the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mason, but it's unclear how the ship was involved in the conflict. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said they would sharply escalate their response to any further attacks, and if the enemy struck two or three Iranian targets, Iran would respond by hitting 20.
The US Central Command said its attacks were a response to the IRGC targeting a US Navy warship twice with ballistic missiles over the previous two days. The US has announced a new policy of attacking Iranian tankers in retaliation for fire that threatens its warships.