The US military confirmed that its forces disabled two Iranian-flagged oil tankers, the Sea Star III and the Sevda, by firing precision munitions into their funnels. This action occurred in the Gulf of Oman as the vessels were attempting to evade a US blockade on Iranian ports. US Central Command released a video showing the F/A-18 strikes, emphasizing that there was no damage beyond the smokestack area and no immediate reports of casualties.
Separately, the US also fired on an oil tanker attempting to reach Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This incident was part of a broader US blockade on Iranian ports, and Tehran itself came under attack for the first time in this latest round of strikes. The US stated it disabled this unladen oil tanker during a fifth day of strikes after it ignored multiple warnings, using Hellfire missiles.
The tit-for-tat attacks between the US and Iran have intensified. Iran reported that these recent US strikes have killed over 35 people and wounded more than 300. In response, Iran launched its own attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait, though damage and casualty reports for these strikes were not immediately available. The US military justified its actions by stating they targeted Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for global commerce.
