Three Iranian Tankers Hit After Missile Attack on US Navy
Following a missile attack on US warships, the US military announced it has struck three Iranian oil tankers, as tensions escalate in the region.
The US military announced that three Iranian oil tankers were struck after American warships became the target of a missile attack. The Pentagon reported that two tankers were permanently disabled while a third was destroyed, whereas Iran stated that it targeted the US and tanker ships in retaliation.
Missile Attack and Operation Details
The US military announced on Saturday that three Iranian oil tankers were struck after American warships came under missile attack.
The statement noted that an aircraft carrier and a destroyer avoided multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks while on patrol in the region, and no US personnel were injured in the incident.
Pentagon Statement on Tanker Fleet
The Pentagon noted that two of the targeted Iranian oil tankers were permanently disabled, while a third, which was empty, was completely destroyed.
US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper stated that they would not hesitate to defend American forces and would destroy Iran's limited oil fleet if necessary.
Statements from Iran and Retaliation Claims
The Iranian side had previously announced that an Iranian tanker was struck near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf.
Iranian state broadcasting claimed that the country targeted three oil tankers and three American vessels in response to US attacks.
Regional Conflicts and Civilian Casualties
The latest strikes occurred about a week after the US and Iran resumed mutual attacks following roughly a month of relative calm.
On Tuesday, a strike hitting a wedding in southern Iran killed four people, including a child, and injured dozens of others.