US Targets Iranian Oil Tankers in Escalating Conflict
The United States has escalated its military conflict with Iran by destroying five Iranian oil tankers. The strikes, carried out on September 8, targeted vessels linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The tankers were located in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island, a major Iranian oil depot. According to Central Command, the arm of the military overseeing operations in the Middle East, the vessels were hit with missiles and left in flames.
The strikes come amid an escalating round of hostilities between the US and Iran. The conflict began on August 30, when American forces struck Iranian military forces that were preparing to set mines in the Strait of Hormuz. IRGC forces responded by launching an attack on US air bases in Jordan with ballistic missiles.
The price for Brent crude oil has risen to nearly $100 a barrel, and gas prices have followed suit, averaging $4.19 per gallon across the nation.