US Secretary of State Rubio Warns Iran Over Tankers
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that if Iran continues its attacks on the navy, it will lose its tankers. Meanwhile, CENTCOM announced that five Iranian oil tankers targeting US warships over the past two days have been destroyed.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Iran will lose its tankers if it continues to target US naval vessels. Following these developments, the US Central Command announced that five Iranian oil tankers attempting attacks in the region have been destroyed.
Statements by Secretary Rubio
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated during his visit to Colombia in remarks to the press that Iran has been attempting to strike US naval vessels. Secretary Rubio indicated that with every attack attempt, Iran will lose a tanker.
CENTCOM Statement and Destroyed Tankers
The US Central Command reported that the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted US warships in the region over the past two days. The statement noted that five Iranian tankers, stated to be carrying crude oil, were destroyed in retaliation.
It was announced that the destroyed vessels were the M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, and M/T Riesco near the Gulf of Oman, along with the M/T Derya near Kharg Island. It was reported that the US military called on the crews to abandon the ships prior to the strikes.
Iran's Purpose of Using Tankers
The statement alleged that Iran uses these oil tankers as a shadow network to fund proxy forces in the region.
Mutual Moves in the Region
Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported that following the targeting near Kharg Island, attacks were also carried out on two oil tankers off the coast of the city of Jask in Hormozgan Province. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy issued an evacuation warning for tankers in Bahraini and Kuwaiti ports.