U.S. Hits 3 Iranian Tankers, Threatens Oil Fleet — SkimNews
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- U.S. military struck three Iranian oil tankers after an aircraft carrier and destroyer evaded what it called multiple Iranian attacks; two tankers were permanently disabled and an unladen third was destroyed.
- Brad Cooper said U.S. forces would not hesitate to defend themselves and would destroy Iran's oil fleet if necessary, characterizing the fleet as limited and exposed.
- Iranian joint military command warned that strikes on U.S. military ships would be more severe if Washington continued interfering with Iranian shipping.
- Iranian state TV reported that four U.S. missiles hit a tanker about 10 kilometres from Kharg Island and said crews evacuated the other two vessels.
- U.S. Navy is helping guide vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic remains low as Tehran asserts control and targets some ships.
- Donald Trump called the conflict "small potatoes" one day before the tanker strikes, which followed a month of relative calm and collapsed negotiations.
- Masoumeh Zarei and Kiana Karimi, ages 13 and 14, were wounded in an earlier U.S. bombardment of southern Iran that struck a wedding and killed at least five people.
Why it matters: The three tanker strikes turn Washington's existing port blockade into direct action against Iran's oil exports. Tehran says further interference will bring more severe attacks on U.S. ships, leaving naval forces and already-low commercial traffic near the Strait of Hormuz in simultaneous opposing operations.
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