US Unveils 'Tanker for Tanker' Policy to Counter Iranian Aggression in Strait of Hormuz

The United States has launched a new strategy to counter Iran's aggression in the Strait of Hormuz, known as 'Tanker for Tanker.' The policy, approved by President Donald Trump, aims to deter Iranian attacks on commercial shipping by targeting an Iranian oil tanker for every vessel attacked by Iran.

In its first implementation, US drones struck the engine rooms of two Iranian oil tankers off Iran's coastline, disabling rather than sinking them. This move was seen as a deliberate message to demonstrate the policy's consequences without triggering full escalation.

The broader package of strikes covered approximately 100 military targets, including IRGC bases, naval installations, air defense systems and radars, cruise missile and drone launch platforms, mine-laying capabilities, and communications centers. Washington stated that the strikes have significantly degraded Iran's offensive capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz and reduced the threat level for a period of approximately one month.

Iran responded to the American strikes by launching ballistic missiles and drones targeting US positions in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq, expanding the geographic scope of the exchange beyond the strait itself.