US Military Destroys Five Iranian Oil Tankers Amid Escalating Conflict

The US military has confirmed that it destroyed five Iranian oil tankers in response to missile attacks on its warships. The strikes, which occurred on Tuesday, are part of a wider conflict between the US and Iran that has been escalating for over six months. The US Central Command said that the tankers were targeted after the Revolutionary Guards attempted to attack a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles.

The latest round of attacks follows a previous incident in which three Iranian oil tankers were destroyed by the US military. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the US will not allow Iran's attacks to go unanswered, warning that for every time Iran tries to hit US naval ships, they will lose tankers. However, some experts have cautioned that such back-and-forth strikes can only risk more retaliation and further impact to the global economy.

The conflict has been exacerbated by rising energy prices, which have climbed as high as $99.46 per barrel of international standard Brent crude. The US and Iran are also vying for control over the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which about one-fifth of the world's oil passes.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy has warned crews of oil tankers near ports in Kuwait and Bahrain to immediately leave their vessels, citing the risk of retaliation from the US. The US military has been helping a limited number of ships transit on a route through the Strait of Hormuz off Oman, while Tehran wants ships to follow a route that it chooses.