Iran Strikes Back with Attacks on Six Vessels after U.S. Tanker Strike...Retaliation Intensifies in Strait of Hormuz

Iran Fires Ballistic Missiles at U.S. Warships

U.S. Strikes Three Iranian Oil Tankers in Response

IRGC Claims "Attack on Six Oil Tankers and U.S.-Affiliated Vessels"…Damage Unconfirmed

The United States and Iran are intensifying their retaliatory attacks in the Strait of Hormuz region, targeting both warships and oil tankers. After Iran fired ballistic missiles at U.S. Navy vessels, the U.S. military struck three Iranian oil tankers. In response, Iran claimed that it attacked six vessels, including oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz and ships affiliated with the United States.

A video released on the 5th (local time) by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on X (formerly Twitter). It shows the U.S. military attacking the Iranian oil tanker M/T Kylo (nicknamed 'Noxen') in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM stated that it struck three oil tankers linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in response to attacks by the IRGC. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

According to the Associated Press and other media outlets on the 5th (local time), the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced in a statement that it attacked three oil tankers passing through "unauthorized routes" in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as three U.S.-affiliated vessels in other waters. The extent of damage to the ships claimed by Iran has not been confirmed, and the United States has not confirmed any damages from these attacks either.

Iran's attack was a retaliation for the U.S. military’s strike on three Iranian oil tankers earlier. The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) explained that it conducted a retaliatory strike after Iran launched ballistic missiles at U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and guided missile destroyers.

The U.S. military reported that it rendered the Dawni near Kharg Island and the Stark 1 near Jask permanently inoperable, and completely destroyed the empty Kylo tanker in the Gulf of Oman. According to the Associated Press, the U.S. claims these tankers are part of the so-called "shadow network" used by the Revolutionary Guard Corps and regional militant groups to finance their operations.

Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, warned, "If our two warships are attacked, we will impose even greater economic costs," highlighting that additional attacks could be carried out on Iran’s oil shipping convoys if necessary.

The U.S. military stated that the aircraft carrier and destroyer targeted by Iran's ballistic missile attack successfully evaded, and there were no American casualties. In contrast, the Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed on the 6th that ballistic missiles struck both warships, causing damage, and that the vessels withdrew from the engagement area.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry labeled the U.S. attacks on its oil tankers as "illegal acts of war." The ministry further warned of additional responses, asserting that the United States is attacking civilian merchant ships as part of its maritime blockade and economic pressure campaign against Iran.

This exchange of attacks has escalated the confrontation between the United States and Iran from purely military facilities to directly targeting each other's oil transport networks and commercial vessels. The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States is stepping up maritime blockades to prevent Iran’s oil exports, while also supporting the navigation of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, Iran continues to attack vessels using U.S.-managed routes.

Kharg Island is a critical hub, handling about 90% of Iran's oil exports. The direct U.S. attack on tankers in the vicinity of Kharg Island notably signals that military clashes have now spilled over into Iran’s core oil export infrastructure.

Direct conflict between the United States and Iran resumed on the 30th of last month after about a month of relative calm. At that time, the U.S. military attacked a rocket launcher on Iran's Larak Island, stating the Revolutionary Guard Corps was preparing to deploy mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Subsequently, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on U.S. facilities in Jordan and elsewhere in the region, and the U.S. also carried out further strikes on Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key maritime transport route through which about 20% of the world’s oil supply passed before the war. Following a series of ship attacks and armed clashes between the two countries, the traffic of vessels through the strait has dropped significantly compared to pre-war levels.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.