US, Iran Trade Ship Strikes as Trump Calls War 'Small Potatoes' — SkimNews
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- Centcom said it "permanently disabled" two Iran-linked oil tankers near Kharg Island and "completely destroyed" a third in the Gulf of Oman, claiming they were part of a "multi-billion-dollar shadow network" funding the IRGC.
- Iran's IRGC said it retaliated by targeting six ships — three US-affiliated vessels and three oil tankers using "unauthorised" routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
- US warships "successfully evaded" IRGC attacks targeting an aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer Saturday, according to Centcom; no American troops were harmed.
- Iranian state media Irib reported no casualties near Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90% of Iran's crude oil exports.
- President Trump on Friday dismissed the six-month conflict as "small potatoes," calling the ongoing attacks "intermittent" despite the resumed strikes.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media: "if Iran shoots at US ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers."
- US diesel prices hit an average of $5.85 per gallon on Friday, up from $3.71 a year ago, as Trump faces midterm pressure over war costs.
Why it matters: Trump's 'small potatoes' framing collides with the operational reality: three Iranian tankers destroyed, the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed since February, and US diesel at $5.85/gallon — up from $3.71 a year ago. Six months into the conflict, the economic toll on American consumers is now the clearest pressure point heading into November midterms.
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