Iran Strikes Oil Tanker in Strait of Hormuz Amid Ongoing Conflict with US
An Iranian military commander said Iran attacked a Togo-flagged oil tanker attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The Trend tanker was struck as it 'attempted to illegally pass through' the strait under the watch of the U.S. military, according to Admiral Ali Ozmaei with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
The IRGC Navy warned that illegal passage through the Strait of Hormuz will have no outcome other than destruction of the offending vessel. At least three ships have been struck in and around the strait over the past two days or so, according to the UK military's Maritime Trade Organization, although it provided no details about the names of the vessels, whether anyone was injured, or who was responsible.
The United States has launched relatively few strikes against Iranian targets in recent weeks. However, 104 ships have been redirected to comply with a military blockade announced earlier this summer by the U.S. Central Command. The Trump administration has moved to economically isolate Iran's regime through sanctions, dubbed 'Operation Economic Outcast,' announced in August.
Oil prices rose slightly on Friday morning following the incident. Brent crude increased to $104.90 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas International rose more than 1 percent to $103.30 per barrel. The U.S. and Iran have held no peace talks since the collapse of an interim agreement reached in June.