US Strikes Three Iranian Oil Tankers in Escalating Regional Tensions

The US military struck three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched two ballistic missiles at two Navy warships. The U.S. Central Command said no American personnel were injured in the unprovoked attacks.

Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM Commander, stated that if Iran shoots at US ships, 'we will impose an even higher economic cost, taking out three of yours.' He added that the US will not hesitate to defend its forces and destroy Iran's limited and exposed oil fleet.

The struck tankers were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and its regional proxies. An Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, a key hub for Iran's oil-export system, was one of the vessels hit.

Iran's foreign ministry condemned the US strikes as 'a clear violation of Paragraph 4 of Article 2 of the United Nations Charter' and warned that they would target American military in the region 'more severely than before' if the US continues strikes against ships.