The US military struck five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it struck the ships “after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the past two days.”
“The US warship successfully evaded the attempted Iranian attacks and continued to patrol regional waters. No American personnel were harmed,” it added.
CENTCOM said it directed the crews to abandon ship shortly before the strikes. The were no immediate reports regarding casualties.
Iranian media reported explosions were heard near the southern port of Jask and on Kharg Island — both key ports for Iran’s oil exports.
What do we know about the ships that were attacked?
US forces attacked four Iranian oil carriers in the Gulf of Oman: the M/T Kaviz, the M/T Charminar, the M/T Horizon 1 and the M/T Riesco.
US forces also attacked the M/T Derya near Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM linked these five vessels to the IRGC.
“Iran has used the tankers as part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
“Iran has no means by which to defend these vessels.”
More to follow…
