US Targets Iranian Oil Tankers in Retaliation for Strait of Hormuz Attack
The US military has targeted three Iranian oil tankers in response to a ballistic missile attack on two US warships patrolling the Strait of Hormuz.
The operation, led by the US Central Command, resulted in the 'permanent incapacitation' of two Revolutionary Guard tankers: 'M/T Downy', located near Jarg Island, and 'M/T Stark 1', situated off Jask. The empty tanker 'M/T Kylo', also known as 'Noxen', was completely destroyed in the Gulf of Oman.
The US military frames this operation as a direct retaliation for the ballistic missile launch against two US Navy ships. According to the Pentagon, no US personnel were harmed during the unprovoked attacks from Iran.
The targeted tankers were part of the 'phantom network' used by Iran to obtain economic resources for the Revolutionary Guard. The commander of the US Armed Forces Central Command, Brad Cooper, has issued a warning to Tehran: 'Let the message to the Revolutionary Guard be clear: if you fire at two of our ships, we will impose a greater economic cost on you and eliminate three of yours.'