US Strikes 3 Iranian Oil Tankers After Missile Attacks on Navy Warships
US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired ballistic missiles at two US Navy warships in regional waters, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said, as Tehran threatened broader attacks if American strikes and the naval blockade continue.
CENTCOM said an American aircraft carrier and a missile destroyer evaded several Iranian attacks without casualties.
US forces permanently disabled Revolutionary Guards crude oil tankers off Kharg Island and near the port city of Jask, CENTCOM said. American forces also completely destroyed an empty crude oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman and struck the vessel.
Explosions were heard on Kharg Island, known in Iran as the “Oil Island,” an Iranian news agency reported.
Iranian state broadcasting disputed reports of explosions in the Jask and Qeshm areas, saying the sounds heard there resulted from “punitive actions” against vessels accused of violating laws in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s emergency command, the Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, also warned that Tehran could intensify its operations against US forces. It said attacks on American military vessels would become more severe and could expand in scope if US attacks on Iranian ships and the naval blockade continue.
These developments come as recent US intelligence assessments indicate that Iran has become more confident in its ability to hit targets across the Middle East and is prepared to continue the confrontation for months, The New York Times reported.
The assessments indicate that Tehran could seek to prolong the conflict at least through the US midterm elections in November in an effort to frustrate Washington, according to people who read the reports and spoke with the Times. The Iranian regime, which the assessments described as controlled by hawkish elements, is also “considering significant escalation,” the Times reported.
US intelligence assessments further concluded that after half a year of war, Iran has developed a “better understanding” of its military strengths. They also indicated that reaching an agreement that would completely end the war will be difficult.
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