US Destroys Three Iranian Oil Tankers Amid Escalating Conflict
The United States has escalated its military action against Iran by targeting and destroying three Iranian oil tankers in response to attempted missile attacks on US naval vessels. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it struck the tankers, which were linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), after they failed to fire at American warships.
The CENTCOM commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, stated that if Iran shoots at two of their ships, they will impose an even higher economic cost by taking out three of theirs. The US has been seeking to choke Iran's economy through sanctions on entities with financial links to the Islamic republic in a bid to further isolate it.
The Iranian security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, had warned the US that Iran has adopted a 'new strategy' against Washington in the war that will 'shatter your foundations'. The US has been trying to step up pressure on Tehran over its blockade of the Hormuz Strait, through which one-fifth of world oil supplies previously flowed.