US forces hit five Iranian tankers as Tehran targets American base in Jordan
US forces conducted strikes against Iranian oil tankers following Iranian attempts to target a US warship, leading to retaliatory missile launches by Iran toward a US base in Jordan. While most missiles were intercepted, the exchange marks a significant escalation in regional tensions.
Why it matters
The direct military confrontation between US and Iranian forces risks broader regional instability and has already caused an uptick in global oil prices.
Image source, EPA Image caption, Jordanian air defences intercept missiles launched from Iran
US forces struck five Iranian tankers in response to Tehran twice targeting an American warship over the past two days, US Central Command (Centcom) has said.
The US attacked oil tankers linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in the Gulf of Oman, as well as a tanker near Kharg Island, a major oil terminal off Iran's Gulf coast, Centcom said on Tuesday night.
Iran retaliated by launching missiles at a US base in Jordan, though Jordan later said that it had shot down 18 of the 20 missiles with its air defence systems.
Tit-for-tat strikes between the two countries have escalated over the past week, more than six months after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran.
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