US strikes oil tankers off coast of Iran

On Tuesday, the United States military carried out strikes on five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the attacks were in retaliation for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeting a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the past two days.

CENTCOM stated that the US warship successfully avoided the attempted Iranian attacks and continued its patrol in the region without any harm to American personnel. All five tankers involved in the US strikes were linked to the IRGC by CENTCOM, with the US military alleging that Iran has been using these vessels as part of a shadow network to fund the IRGC and its regional proxies.

Iranian state media reported explosions near the southern port of Jask and on Kharg Island, both significant ports for Iran's oil exports. Following the US strikes, Iranian state media claimed the IRGC carried out a ballistic missile attack on US targets in Jordan, with Jordan's army announcing the interception and destruction of 18 Iranian missiles.

Jordan, a US ally, hosts an American military facility. An American official confirmed that the attack on Jordan was ineffective and that all US personnel in the region were safe. The IRGC also reported targeting two US ships, eight oil tankers, and 10 other vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which the US military dismissed as false claims.

Earlier on Wednesday, the IRGC issued a warning to oil tankers off the coast of Bahrain and Kuwait, specifically targeting vessels in these ports, whether anchored or docked, warning them to leave their vessels as they would be targeted by Iran.