Key facts
- US forces attacked an Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island for the second time in two days.
- The tanker, identified as the empty Belma N.I.22, was reportedly hit by two US missiles.
- The US military stated the vessel was attempting to violate its blockade on Iran.
- US Central Command conducted strikes on Iranian command centers, air defense sites, and missile and drone capabilities.
- Iran claimed to have retaliated against US military bases in the region.
- The escalation follows a tentative ceasefire that has been disrupted.
US forces have attacked an Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island for the second time in two days, according to reports citing an Iranian official. The deputy governor of Bushehr told Fars news agency that the empty Belma N.I.22 oil tanker, previously hit two days prior, was attacked again by two US missiles.
The US military stated it struck a commercial vessel that was headed toward Kharg Island and allegedly attempting to bypass a US blockade. US Central Command said the strikes, which included targets in Bandar Abbas and on Greater Tunb Island, were aimed at degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran responded by claiming to have hit US military bases in several Gulf countries and Jordan, which reported intercepting eight Iranian missiles. Iran's military command also threatened to close oil and gas export routes, stating that the region's exports would either be available to all or none.
This escalation marks the sixth consecutive day of exchanges between the US and Iran, disrupting a tentative ceasefire. The Trump administration has formally notified Congress of the conflict's status, potentially resetting the clock on military action without congressional authorization. Earlier, Iran's Revolutionary Guard had warned that other oil and gas export routes serving US interests could be closed.