US Central Command confirmed that American forces attacked five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday, sinking one vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
Four tankers linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps were targeted in the Gulf of Oman, along with another near Kharg Island, a major oil export terminal off Iran’s coast.
Tehran retaliated by launching missiles at a US base in Jordan, though most were intercepted, and claimed to have attacked two US vessels and eight oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
This escalation marks the latest chapter in tit-for-tat strikes between Washington and Tehran, occurring more than six months after US and Israeli attacks on Iran began on 28 February.
Oil prices rose in Asian trading, with Brent crude up 1.5% to $99.35 per barrel and US crude climbing 1.3% to $94.23.
Jordan reported shooting down 18 of 20 Iranian missiles, with two landing in uninhabited areas, according to an official military spokesperson.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced further attacks on two US vessels, eight oil tankers, and 10 “non-compliant” ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest escalation follows Iran’s ballistic missile attack on a US warship, which Centcom said was successfully evaded without American casualties.
The US stated the targeted tankers were part of a multi-billion-dollar shadow network funding the IRGC and its regional proxies.
One vessel, the M/T Riesco, sank in the Gulf of Oman, with Centcom releasing video footage of the damaged ship.
Kharg Island hosts Iran’s primary oil export terminal, handling roughly 90% of the country’s crude exports via pipelines from the mainland.
Regional instability continues to pressure oil markets, exacerbated by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement attacking Saudi energy facilities on Tuesday, injuring 73 people and temporarily halting operations.