The United States on Tuesday claimed to have destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers following alleged attempts by Iran to attack a US Navy warship, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. Thereafter, Tehran claimed to have attacked two US vessels and eight oil tankers in the Gulf on Wednesday.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said it attacked 10 ships which were trying to cross a "prohibited and unsafe" area of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran earlier claimed to have struck a US military base in Jordan, and issued warnings to tankers near ports in Kuwait and Bahrain.
The US and Iran have launched fresh attacks on each other over the past few weeks, reviving military hostilities, as the war enters seventh month.
The US attack on Iranian oil tankers came in response to alleged attempts by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to target a US Navy warship. The warship however "successfully evaded" the ballistic missiles launched twice by Iran over the past two days and "continued to patrol regional waters", the CENTCOM said, adding that there was no American casualty.
Five Iranian oil tankers hit
The CENTCOM said it destroyed the IRGC crude oil tankers M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1 and M/T Riesco, which were located in the Gulf of Oman. The US also claimed to have hit M/T Derya near Kharg Island.
{{/usCountry}}The CENTCOM said it destroyed the IRGC crude oil tankers M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1 and M/T Riesco, which were located in the Gulf of Oman. The US also claimed to have hit M/T Derya near Kharg Island.
{{/usCountry}}"American forces directed the crews to abandon ship before the vessels were struck and rendered inoperable," a statement by the CENTCOM read.
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Iran hits US military bases in Jordan
Iran's Revolutionary Guards struck the US air base of Al-Azraq in Jordan with missiles, news agency AFP reported, citing state media. The IRGC claimed that the "punitive operation" damaged maintenance and repair facilities, deployment locations and shelters for fighter jets.
Jordan's army meanwhile said it shot down 18 Iranian missiles launched in its direction.
Iran warns oil tankers near Kuwait, Bahrain ports
The Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy also issued warnings to crews of oil tankers near ports in Kuwait and Bahrain, asking them to immediately vacate their vessels which could come under attack in response to the US strikes on Iranian tankers. Iran slammed Kuwait and Bahrain for hosting US forces and assisting them in carrying out the attacks.
'All Iranian attempts against US warships failed'
The US alleged that Iran has used the tankers as part of a "multibillion-dollar shadow network" which provides funds to the IRGC and its regional proxies.
Earlier, on September 5, the US destroyed three Iranian crude oil carriers after the IRGC tried to attack a US aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer.
"All IRGC attempts against US Navy warships have failed," the US CENTCOM claimed.
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Iran is going to lose tankers, says Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that every Iranian attempt to hit US naval ships would result into a retaliatory attack on Iran's oil tankers.
"Iran continues to try to hit US naval ships. And for every time they do that or try to do that, they're going to lose tankers. And I think you'll see that again today," Rubio said.
The United States and Iran are locked in a stalemate six months into the war, with Iran maintaining a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for the world's oil and gas, and Washington pushing a campaign to choke Iran's ports and economy.
(With inputs from agencies)