US and Iran exchange strikes on ships in the Strait of Hormuz
US Central Command said it hit three Iranian oil tankers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired ballistic missiles at two US Navy vessels, prompting further threats of retaliation from Tehran.
US Central Command reported that its forces struck three Iranian oil tankers, including one near Kharg Island, in response to ballistic missiles launched by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps at two US Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, warned that further attacks would increase the economic cost to Iran.
The IRGC said it had targeted three tankers it claimed were on unauthorized routes in the Strait of Hormu z and three US-linked vessels elsewhere, and warned of intensified strikes against US military ships in the region.
The US denied Iran's claim that an unmanned American military vessel had been hit in the strait, calling the allegation a "total lie," according to spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins.
The latest exchange follows a week of heightened hostilities that began after a month of relative calm, part of a broader conflict that started with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February.