US strikes five Iranian tankers; Iran fires missiles at Jordan base

The United States said it hit five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attempted to strike a US warship twice in two days. The US Central Command reported that the warship evaded the attacks and that no American personnel were harmed.

In retaliation, US forces destroyed the tankers M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, M/T Riesco and M/T Derya, and ordered crews to abandon the vessels before they were rendered inoperable.

Iran’s state broadcaster confirmed the strike near Kharg Island and said a second tanker was hit near Jask. The IRGC claimed several commercial ships were damaged and said it launched missile strikes against the Al Azraq base in Jordan, asserting that hangars used by US fighter jets were destroyed.

Jordan’s armed forces reported that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 18 of 20 incoming missiles, with the remaining two falling in unpopulated areas. No casualties were reported, and cleanup teams began securing debris sites.

Earlier, Iran’s armed forces chief of staff warned that any attack on Iranian tankers would lead to strikes on US bases in the region. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington would continue targeting Iranian ships, adding that each Iranian attempt to hit US naval vessels would result in further tanker losses.