The United States military has targeted and struck three Iranian oil vessels following an exchange of fire in the Middle East. The maritime escalation follows a recent breakdown in diplomatic efforts, shattering a period of temporary tranquility between Washington and Tehran.
According to the United States Central Command, the military action was launched on Saturday after American naval vessels came under fire from ballistic missiles. Officials stated that an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer successfully avoided incoming projectiles fired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. No American service members sustained injuries during the engagement.
In retaliation, American forces targeted three oil tankers linked to Iran. Central Command reported that one vessel near Kharg Island was permanently disabled, a second tanker near Jask in the Gulf of Oman suffered the same fate, and a third ship in the Gulf of Oman was completely obliterated.
Iranian state media confirmed the destruction of the vessels and noted that the tanker near Kharg Island managed to extinguish a resulting fire within an hour using onboard cooling systems. Reports from state outlets indicated that crews from the two ships in the Gulf of Oman abandoned their vessels into lifeboats and were safely transported ashore. One of those two ships was empty, while the other carried a cargo of petroleum.
Kharg Island holds immense strategic significance for Tehran, as its terminal handles the vast majority of the nation's crude oil exports via mainland pipelines. American military leadership defended the operations as a necessary economic and defensive response. The head of Central Command issued a stern warning, asserting that hostile actions against American assets would result in significant losses to Tehran's commercial fleet.
The latest hostilities follow the expiration of a two-month ceasefire last month, which brought an end to a brief diplomatic window. Tensions between the two nations have remained elevated since wide-ranging military operations began in late February, severely disrupting commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The vital maritime corridor, which historically carried a significant portion of global petroleum supplies, has transformed into a heavily contested zone.
In addition to maritime clashes, the renewed fighting has triggered regional retaliations involving allied territories across the Persian Gulf. Authorities in Washington are also examining allegations regarding civilian casualties from a recent strike in southern Iran, though high-ranking officials have expressed skepticism regarding the claims while vowing to review the incident.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.
