Gaza Herald – The United States and Iran have escalated their direct confrontation through a series of reciprocal military strikes that began late Tuesday night. Washington announced the destruction of five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kish Island, marking a significant intensification of hostilities between the two nations.
U.S. Central Command stated that its forces destroyed the vessels named Kaviz, Charmimar, Horizon 1, and Risq in the Gulf of Oman. Additionally, the tanker Darya was targeted and destroyed near Kish Island. These actions followed allegations that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attempted to strike a U.S. warship with ballistic missiles twice over the previous two days.
The Pentagon confirmed that the American vessel successfully evaded the attacks and that no personnel were injured. Commanders warned the crews of the targeted tankers to evacuate before the strikes commenced. This sequence of events has expanded the direct clash between Tehran and Washington into areas hosting American interests across the region.
In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared the execution of an operation titled “Punishing the Aggressors.” The IRGC claimed its air force launched solid and liquid-fueled ballistic missiles at Al-Asraq airbase in Jordan. The group asserted that the missiles struck maintenance sites, preparation areas, and shelters housing F-35, F-16, and F-15 fighter jets, causing severe damage to these facilities.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a stern warning, stating that Iran would lose oil tankers every time it attempts to target U.S. Navy ships. He framed this as a direct threat to continue targeting the Iranian naval fleet in retaliation for any attacks on American maritime assets.
Conversely, the IRGC Navy threatened to target oil tankers in Kuwait and Bahrain. It urged crews of vessels near docks and anchorage zones to abandon their ships immediately. Iranian Chief of Staff Ali Abdollahi emphasized that any attack on Iranian oil tankers would be met with strikes against U.S. bases in the region.
The IRGC maintained that its operations would continue as long as what it described as American aggression persists. This rapid escalation underscores the fragility of security in the Middle East as both sides engage in a cycle of retribution involving critical energy infrastructure and military installations.
This report was produced in the Gaza Herald newsroom.
