American military forces struck four Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and a fifth near Kharg Island on Tuesday, following two attempted ballistic missile attacks on a U.S. Navy warship over the previous two days. CENTCOM confirmed that it destroyed the Kivik, Charminar, Horizon 1, Riesco, and Derya tankers during the operation. The Pentagon said crews were told to abandon ship before the vessels were struck and rendered inoperable.
Another tanker was also targeted near Kharg Island, an important oil terminal for Iran, according to Iranian state media. The U.S. military said the warship successfully evaded two attempted Iranian ballistic missile attacks over the previous two days and continued its patrol, according to The Associated Press. Iranian state television reported that a tanker was struck near the coast of Yekbeni in Jask, and another attack occurred near Kharg Island, according to a report from Yahoo News.
After the U.S. strikes, Iran said it launched ballistic missiles at a U.S. base near Al Azraq in Jordan. Jordan said its air defenses intercepted 18 of 20 missiles and that the other two fell in unpopulated areas, with no casualties reported.
The strikes come amid escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway where about one-fifth of global oil consumption passed before the war disrupted shipping. The U.S. has been helping a limited number of ships transit through the strait off Oman as part of its strategy to counter Iranian influence. Iran later said it planned to announce a new “exclusion zone” near the Strait of Hormuz aimed at vessels intending to transit, NBC News reported.
The Trump administration has imposed new sanctions on Iran’s aviation industry in a bid to isolate the country economically. This latest round of attacks is part of a broader strategy by President Donald Trump to pressure Iran and bring an end to regional conflict. Rising energy prices are creating political challenges for the president and his Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections. The Treasury Department said Tuesday that it sanctioned 36 targets connected to Iran’s aviation sector.
The U.S. military also destroyed a vessel named Derya near Kharg Island. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy warned crews of oil tankers near ports in Kuwait and Bahrain to leave their vessels immediately, saying the ships could be targeted in retaliation for U.S. attacks on Iranian tankers. The U.S. has been working to limit Iran’s ability to export oil through port blockades while maintaining access for some international shipping.
Analysts say such back-and-forth strikes risk more retaliation and could further disrupt global energy markets. One expert noted that there is no kinetic solution to the problem in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. has made clear it will not allow Iranian attacks on its naval forces to go unanswered.
Rubio, speaking while on a trip to Colombia, said that for every time Iran tries to attack U.S. ships, they will lose tankers in return. The situation remains tense as both sides continue to take military action in the region
IMAGE: KUWAIT NAVAL BASE (Feb. 10, 2009) A port security boat assigned to Maritime Expeditionary Squadron (MSRON) 1 patrols the waters near Kuwait Naval Base. MSRON-1 is deployed supporting maritime security operations and port security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.. Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kenneth G. Takada / Wikimedia, Public domain