US Strikes Three Iranian Oil Tankers Amid Escalating Conflict

The United States has struck three Iranian oil tankers in response to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launching ballistic missiles at two US navy ships. According to a statement from US Central Command, the strikes were carried out after the IRGC attack.

Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, said 'Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost, taking out three of yours.'

The US accused the tankers of being part of a shadow network helping to fund the Revolutionary Guard and its armed proxies in the region. Two Iranian oil carriers were 'permanently disabled' and the third unladen one was destroyed.