The U.S. military destroyed five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island following attacks on an American Navy ship.
Key facts
- •U.S. Central Command destroyed five Iranian oil tankers in the latest round of strikes.
- •The strikes were launched after Iran targeted an American Navy ship twice with ballistic missiles.
- •The targeted tankers were part of a network funding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
- •Crews were ordered to abandon the vessels before the U.S. military destroyed them.
- •The U.S. previously destroyed three Iranian tankers three days prior to this operation.
U.S. Central Command announced Tuesday that it destroyed five Iranian oil tankers during a second round of retaliatory strikes. The military action followed two separate instances in which Iran targeted an unidentified American Navy ship with ballistic missiles.
Details of the military operation
According to Central Command, U.S. forces instructed the crews of the Iranian vessels to abandon their ships before conducting the strikes. The operation took place in the Gulf of Oman and near Iran’s Kharg Island. The tankers were identified as part of a network used to fund the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its regional allies.
Context of the strikes
The U.S. Navy ship involved in the incident evaded the missile attacks and continued its mission to enforce a blockade of Iranian oil shipments. This blockade is intended to help end a six-month war that has impacted political support for President Donald Trump and the Republican party ahead of the midterms. These strikes occurred three days after the U.S. destroyed three other Iranian tankers following attempted attacks on an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Politico Europe.
