Pentagon chief threatens more strikes on Iranian oil tankers
Pentagon chief threatens more strikes on Iranian oil tankers US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the military can attack Iran’s entire oil tanker fleet, after Washington announced strikes on three Iranian vessels following attacks on US warships. “It’s simple: if Iran shoots at US ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers. All they have to do is not shoot” at the US Navy, Hegseth…
The US military carried out strikes on three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes were in response to unprovoked attacks by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on two US Navy ships. The targeted tankers were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that if Iran shoots at US ships, the US will destroy their oil tankers, stating that Iran's oil tanker fleet is "defenceless" and that the US has the capability to strike them all. CENTCOM chief Admiral Brad Cooper also issued a statement, saying "Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours."
The tankers targeted in the US strikes were M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island, M/T Stark 1 near Jask, and M/T Kylo (“Noxen”), which was rendered inoperable in the Gulf of Oman after the crew were directed to abandon ship. According to The National UAE, CENTCOM said that no American personnel were harmed in the incident.
Brief written by urgent.news from Middle East Eye, Jerusalem Post, The National UAE, Punch Nigeria, GBC Ghana — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
