US Targets Two Iranian Oil Tankers in Direct Attack on IRGC-Linked Vessels

The United States has launched a direct attack on Iranian oil tankers for the first time since the war began. Two vessels linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were struck in waters off Iran's coast on Tuesday night, September 1.

The attack was carried out by drone and missile strikes, which damaged the engine rooms of the two tankers. The operation is seen as an escalation from previous US efforts to restrict the movement of Iranian oil tankers without directly attacking them.

According to Axios, President Donald Trump had approved a 'tanker for tanker' policy, under which Iranian oil tankers would be targeted in retaliation for any Iranian attack on a tanker. The latest strikes come amid heightened tensions over Iran's military activities and the security of shipping routes in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.