US Destroys Five Iranian Oil Tankers Amid Escalating Conflict

The US military has destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers following attacks on a US warship by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command.

The strikes were in response to two Iranian efforts to hit the warship with ballistic missiles over the past two days.

The latest tit-for-tat strikes come as Washington and Tehran appear to be heading back towards conflict after more than six months of war.

The US has also imposed sanctions on additional elements of Iran's aviation industry, targeting over two dozen commercial and private airlines, as well as foreign cargo service providers.