US and Iran Trade Blows in Escalating Oil Tanker Conflict

The conflict between the US and Iran escalated over the weekend as both sides launched attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy claimed to have targeted three vessels using an unauthorized route through the waterway, as well as a number of US-linked ships.

According to Kpler data, only one commodity vessel crossed the strait on Saturday, while US Central Command confirmed that it struck and sank the tanker Kylo in the Gulf of Oman. The Kylo's crew was reportedly told to abandon ship before the strike.

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that the era of 'proportionate responses' is over, stating that any aggression against Iran will receive a faster and more painful response.