The United States and Iran have sharply escalated their confrontation, with Washington destroying five Iranian oil tankers and Tehran responding with missile attacks on US forces in Jordan and claims of strikes against American warships and other vessels.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on September 9 that its forces destroyed the Kaviz, Charminar, Horizon 1, and Riesco in the Gulf of Oman and the Derya near Iran’s Kharg Island.
CENTCOM said the tankers were part of a multibillion-dollar Iranian oil network allegedly financing the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and its regional allies. Crews were ordered to abandon the vessels before they were struck, and no US personnel were injured.
The strikes followed two failed Iranian ballistic-missile attacks on a US Navy warship, according to CENTCOM. They came just days after the United States said it had destroyed three other Iranian oil tankers following attempted attacks on an American aircraft carrier and destroyer.