US Military Targets Iranian Oil Tankers in Escalating Middle East Conflict
The United States military has shifted its strategy in the Middle East by targeting Iranian oil tankers in response to ballistic missile attacks on American warships. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, stated that if Iran shoots at two American ships, the U.S. military will respond by taking out three of theirs.
The U.S. military's operation targeted a multibillion-dollar 'shadow network' of Iranian crude oil tankers, which generates vital revenue for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its regional proxy networks. The operation resulted in the destruction of several tankers, including the M/T Downy, M/T Stark 1, and M/T Kylo.
The U.S. military has also targeted five more crude oil carriers, including vessels like the M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, M/T Riesco, and M/T Derya. Iran views these attacks as economic warfare and outright war crimes, with state media and military officials vowing severe revenge.