US opens new front against Iran oil fleet

Shafaq News- Washington

Iran’s attempt to strike two US Navy warships, including an aircraft carrier, marked a “major escalation,” US officials told the Wall Street Journal.

The United States began attacking Iranian tankers earlier this week to impose economic costs on Tehran and restrict its oil exports, the officials said.

CENTCOM struck three Iranian crude carriers on Saturday after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles toward the two warships. Both vessels “evaded” the attacks, and no American personnel were harmed. Iran later claimed strikes on three oil tankers using an “unauthorized route” through the Strait of Hormuz and three US vessels elsewhere.

US War Secretary Pete Hegseth also threatened further strikes on Iran’s tanker fleet. “If Iran shoots at US ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers.” Iranian crude loadings fell to roughly 220,000-255,000 barrels per day in August from about 2 million bpd in March amid the blockade and military exchanges.