US strikes Iranian oil tankers as Tehran targets American base in Jordan
US forces have engaged in a series of strikes against Iranian oil tankers following Iranian attacks on US vessels and bases in the region. The escalation has caused a rise in global oil prices.
Why it matters
The direct military confrontation between the US and Iran in the Gulf of Oman poses a significant risk to global energy security and regional stability.
US forces struck five Iranian tankers on Tuesday, sinking one, in response to Tehran twice targeting an American warship, US Central Command (Centcom) said.
Four Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) were targeted, as well as another near Kharg Island, a major oil terminal off Iran's coast, Centcom added.
Tehran responded by launching missiles at a US base in Jordan - most of which were shot down - and said it attacked two US vessels and eight oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tit-for-tat strikes between the two countries have escalated in the past week, more than six months after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February.
Oil prices rose in early trading in Asia. Benchmark Brent crude was up by 1.5% at $99.41 (£73.39) a barrel, while US-traded oil was 1.6% higher at $94.55.
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