United States forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday in response to recent ballistic missile attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against US naval vessels. The strikes, the second such targeting of Iranian tankers within a week, marked a new escalation in the ongoing confrontation between the two countries in the Gulf region.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the tankers were rendered inoperable after their crews were ordered to abandon ship. The attacks followed two ballistic missile attempts by the IRGC against a US Navy warship, which successfully evaded the strikes and remained on patrol in the area. CENTCOM emphasized that all IRGC attempts to target US naval ships had failed.
The Iranian Guards retaliated by launching missile strikes on the US Al-Azraq military base in Jordan. Iranian state media described the operation as punitive, claiming damage to maintenance and repair facilities as well as deployment areas and shelters for fighter jets. Jordanian military officials reported that 18 missiles launched by Iran were intercepted and shot down before reaching their targets.
Iran also issued warnings to oil tankers near US-allied Gulf states, urging crews in the ports of Kuwait and Bahrain to evacuate, cautioning that vessels remaining in the area would be targeted. The IRGC declared its intent to continue striking oil carriers in response to US actions against Iranian tankers.
The confrontation follows a pattern of tit-for-tat strikes that has intensified over recent weeks. US forces had previously destroyed three Iranian crude carriers after Iranian attempts to target a US aircraft carrier and a guided missile destroyer. The conflict reflects the broader strategic stalemate between Washington and Tehran, with Iran maintaining control over the key shipping route of the Strait of Hormuz and the US aiming to disrupt Iran’s economic and military capabilities.
In addition to missile exchanges, the IRGC announced it had seized a US unmanned submarine drone operating in the Strait of Hormuz. The US military acknowledged the loss of an underwater drone due to malfunction but stated the device was an older model that did not carry sensitive data or classified equipment. The US did not confirm whether the drone had been captured.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed America’s position, stating that Washington would continue to retaliate against Iran’s attempts to attack US naval ships by targeting Iranian tankers. Meanwhile, Iranian military officials warned of further repercussions should their vessels continue to be targeted.
The exchange of strikes represents a significant escalation in the conflict, underscoring the risks of wider confrontation in a region vital to global energy supplies. Both sides remain locked in a standoff, with diplomatic efforts failing to mitigate the ongoing hostilities.