US Attacks 5 Iranian Tankers as Tehran Strikes American Base in Jordan
The conflict between the United States and Iran has intensified after US forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers, prompting Tehran to launch missile attacks against a US-linked military base in Jordan and target vessels in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
The US Central Command said the five tankers were struck on Tuesday after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles. Four of the vessels were hit in the Gulf of Oman and another near Iran’s Kharg Island. The US said crews were warned to leave the ships before the strikes.
In retaliation, the IRGC said it fired ballistic missiles at the Al-Azraq military base in Jordan, which hosts US forces. Iran claimed the attack damaged facilities used for aircraft maintenance and fighter-jet operations. Jordan said its air defences intercepted 18 Iranian missiles, with no casualties reported. US officials also said there were no American casualties.
Tehran also claimed attacks on two US vessels, eight oil tankers and 10 other vessels attempting to pass through a restricted area of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has separately warned tankers operating near US allies Kuwait and Bahrain to leave the area, raising further concerns over the safety of commercial shipping.
The latest exchange marks another major escalation in the six-month-old conflict. The US is seeking to restrict Iran’s oil exports and maintain shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran has tightened its control over the key maritime route.
The escalation is also affecting global energy markets, with Brent crude approaching $100 a barrel amid growing fears of prolonged disruption to oil shipments through the region.
