U.S. Dismantles Iran's Oil Fleet in Escalating Confrontation Over Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. military has escalated its confrontation with Iran by destroying five Iranian oil tankers in response to recent missile attacks on Navy warships.
The latest strikes come just three days after U.S. forces destroyed three Iranian oil tankers following attempts by Iran's Revolutionary Guard to attack a U.S. aircraft carrier and destroyer.
According to the U.S. Central Command, the crews of the five vessels were evacuated before the attacks, which targeted the Kivik, Charminar, Horizon 1, Riesco, and Derya in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. will not allow Iran's attacks to go unanswered, warning that 'for every time they [Iran] do that or try to do that, they're going to lose tankers.'
Danny Citrinowicz, an Iran expert at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, cautioned that such back-and-forth strikes can only risk more retaliation and further impact the global economy.