US Strikes Iranian Oil Tankers as Iran Launches Missiles Toward Jordan

The US military said Tuesday that US strikes Iranian oil tankers destroyed five vessels as tensions with Tehran rose again. Iran responded by firing missiles toward US targets in Jordan, adding to a series of attacks that have pushed the two countries closer to renewed open conflict.

According to US Central Command, the latest strikes came after two failed Iranian ballistic missile attempts on a US Navy destroyer in the preceding two days. The ship avoided the strikes and resumed patrolling, with no American crew harmed.

The US military identified five tankers in the Gulf of Oman: the Kivik, Charminar, Horizon 1, and Riesco, as well as the Derya near Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Prior to the strikes, the personnel were warned to leave their vessels.

US strikes Iranian oil tankers near key shipping routes

Iranian state television also reported attacks on its oil ships. According to the report, American Marines attacked vessels near the southern port of Jask and around Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, forcing personnel to leave.

According to a reporter in Jask, one tanker was struck on the shore of Yekbeni. Later, state television claimed another attack near Jask, as well as another hit on a tanker in the anchorage area at Kharg Island.

The attacks have increased strain on the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transport routes. Prior to the war, approximately one-fifth of global oil supply went through the strait.

Oil prices surged as the new conflict stoked fears about supply. Brent crude briefly surpassed $99.46 per barrel on Tuesday, posing another economic threat to the Trump administration ahead of the November midterm elections.

Iran launches missiles toward Jordan

According to Iranian state television, Tehran fired missiles against US facilities in Jordan following the assault. Jordan’s military said its air defense systems intercepted 18 ballistic missiles en route to the country, with two more landing in uninhabited areas.

The missile attacks killed no one in Jordan, according to reports. The country is a key US ally that hosts American military forces; nonetheless, its bases have previously been attacked by Iran.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that if Iran strikes American naval assets, Washington will answer in kind. He predicted that if Iran attempted to strike US warships, its oil fleet would suffer greater casualties.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy has issued a warning to oil tanker crews near Kuwait and Bahrain ports. It warned them to leave their ships because they could become targets in retribution for the American attacks.

The threat came as Tehran and Washington renewed their disagreement over commerce via the Hormuz Strait. The US Navy has assisted a limited number of ships in traveling through a path near Oman, whereas Iran prefers that vessels follow a route chosen by Tehran.

The Trump administration has also put more economic pressure on Iran. More than two dozen commercial and private airlines, as well as foreign cargo service companies involved in Iran’s aviation industry, have received additional sanctions from Washington.

Iranian officials have also stated that they want to announce a new exclusion zone around the Strait of Hormuz for vessels seeking to transit the area.

Iran analyst Danny Citrinowicz of Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies warned that more attacks could result in retaliation and harm the world economy. He stated that military action alone would not end the disagreement over the Strait of Hormuz and might make the situation more difficult to govern.