US Strikes Iranian Oil Tankers Amid Escalating Confrontation
On Saturday, the United States launched airstrikes against three Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for Iran firing on US Navy ships. The attacks were carried out by a mix of Air Force and Navy aircraft, with two tankers being 'permanently disabled' and one completely destroyed.
The third tanker, M/T Kylo, was hit in the Gulf of Oman and sank after being warned to abandon ship before the strike. The US has stated that it will impose an even higher economic cost on Iran if they continue to shoot at its ships, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tweeting 'It's very simple: if Iran fires at US ships, we will destroy (and sink) their tankers.'
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed it targeted three oil tankers traveling through an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as three vessels affiliated with the United States. The IRGC also stated that they launched 'several ballistic missiles' at a US aircraft carrier and Navy destroyer.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway for international shipping, with about 90% of Iran's crude passing through it via pipelines from the mainland.