US Destroys Five Iranian Oil Tankers in Escalating Conflict

The US military has launched strikes against five Iranian oil tankers in response to two separate attempts by Iran's Revolutionary Guard to hit a US warship with ballistic missiles over the past two days.

The attacks, which took place on Tuesday near the southern port of Jask and near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, resulted in the destruction of all five Iranian tankers.

According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the US will not allow Iran's attacks to go unanswered, stating that 'for every time they try to hit US naval ships, they're going to lose tankers.'

Danny Citrinowicz, an Iran expert at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, warned that such back-and-forth strikes can only risk more retaliation and further impact the global economy.