US-Iran Tensions Soar as Hegseth Threatens Oil Tanker Fleet
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that the military could attack Iran's entire oil tanker fleet in response to recent attacks on US warships. The statement comes after Washington announced strikes on three Iranian vessels following attacks on US naval vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy claims it struck three oil tankers travelling through 'unauthorised' routes in the Strait of Hormuz and three US-affiliated vessels 'in other areas'. The IRGC said it had fired several ballistic missiles at a US aircraft carrier and a US navy destroyer that it said were harassing Iranian ships and participating in an ongoing naval blockade of Iran.
The escalation comes amid ongoing tensions between the US and Iran, with both sides accusing each other of aggression. The conflict has had a significant impact on global oil markets, with crude oil exports out of the Middle East down 39 percent from the January and February baseline of 18.5m barrels per day.
In related news, fighting between Yemen's Saudi-backed government forces and the country's Houthi rebels killed over 60 people on Saturday, including civilians. The conflict has also resulted in two Palestinians being injured in the occupied West Bank and nine others being detained during raids by Israeli forces.