U.S. military attacks 3 Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for American warship strikes

The US military has struck three Iranian oil tankers in response to attempted missile attacks on American warships in the region. According to US Central Command (Centcom), the tankers were linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and were targeted after the IRGC unsuccessfully fired at American warships. The tankers were "permanently disabled" or "completely destroyed" in the strikes, which took place off the coast of Kharg Island, near Jask, and in the Gulf of Oman.

The attacks on the US warships, which included a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer, were reportedly repelled with no American troops harmed. Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the US would "impose an even higher economic cost" on Iran and "defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran's limited and exposed oil fleet." The US claims the tankers were part of a "multibillion-dollar shadow network" that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies.

The incident is the latest escalation in tensions between the US and Iran, which have been engaged in a six-month conflict. The US has been pressing a counter-blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran has maintained its control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The US has also announced sanctions on entities with financial links to Iran in an effort to choke its economy.

Brief written by urgent.news from CBS News, Malay Mail, KahawaTungu, Arabian Business, Qatar Tribune — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.