US strikes Iranian oil tankers as Tehran targets American base in Jordan

In response to Iran's two recent attacks on an American warship, US Central Command (Centcom) announced that it had targeted five Iranian tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island, a significant oil terminal on Iran's Gulf coast. The US also struck a tanker near Kharg Island. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) is linked to four of these tankers.

Tehran retaliated by launching missiles at a US base in Jordan, although Jordan managed to shoot down 18 out of the 20 Iranian missiles with its air defense systems. This escalation follows the US and Israel's attacks on Iran on February 28. Oil prices climbed in early trading in Asia, with benchmark Brent crude increasing by 1.5% to $99.41 a barrel and US-traded oil rising by 1.6% to $94.55.

Two of the missiles fired by Iran towards Jordan landed in uninhabited areas, according to a Jordanian Armed Forces spokesperson. Iran has threatened more retaliatory strikes, instructing crews of US-linked tankers near Kuwait and Bahrain to "leave their vessels immediately, whether anchored or in port, as they will be targeted."

The US claims the targeted tankers were part of a network funding the IRGC and its regional allies. Kharg Island, the site of one attack, is Iran's major terminal for exporting oil. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement also struck energy facilities and civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, causing fires and halting operations temporarily.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Iran continues to target US naval ships, and for each incident, "they're going to lose tankers." The US conducted strikes on Tuesday shortly after Iran claimed to have seized an uncrewed US submarine in the Strait of Hormuz. However, US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins clarified that the underwater drone malfunctioned and was used for monitoring regional waters.