US Strikes Three Iranian Oil Tankers Amid Escalating Tensions
The US military has struck three Iranian oil tankers in response to attacks on American naval assets. According to CENTCOM, two vessels, M/T Downy and M/T Stark 1, were permanently disabled near Iran's coast. The command said the vessels were targeted off Kharg Island and near Jask, respectively.
The third vessel, M/T Kylo, was also targeted in the Gulf of Oman. Unlike the other two tankers, the vessel was unladen at the time of the operation. CENTCOM said the crew of the third tanker was directed to abandon the vessel before US forces struck it at multiple critical points.
The US military said the tankers were part of a shadow network that helps finance Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard. The allegation places the strikes within the broader US effort to target financial and logistical networks associated with the IRGC.