US Strikes Five Iranian Oil Tankers Amid Escalating Tensions
US forces have struck five Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for Iran targeting a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the past two days. The attacks were 'successfully evaded' by the US, and no American personnel were harmed.
The strike on the tankers follows a series of escalating tensions between the US and Iran, which began when Iran launched missiles at a US base in Jordan. Jordanian air defense systems shot down 18 of the 20 missiles, with the remaining two falling in unpopulated areas without causing casualties.
Oil prices rose in early trading in Asia, with Brent crude up by 1.5% at $99.41 a barrel and US-traded oil up 1.6% at $94.55, as the tit-for-tat strikes between the US and Iran escalated.
The US has accused Iran of using its maritime attacks to fund its military proxies, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that 'they're going to lose tankers.'