US Strikes Iranian Oil Tankers Amid Escalating Tensions
US forces have struck multiple Iranian oil tankers in response to attempted missile attacks on a US warship, according to a US official. The targeted tankers were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its regional proxies.
The strikes occurred in the Gulf of Oman and near Iran's Kharg Island, where the main oil export facility is located. CENTCOM stated that US forces directed the crews to abandon ship before striking the vessels.
Iran has warned that ships in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports hosting US forces could be targeted in retaliation for American attacks on Iranian oil tankers.