US Attacks Five Iranian Oil Tankers Amid Escalating Tensions

The US attacked five Iranian oil tankers near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday. Two US officials told CNN that the tankers were linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The attack was in response to an attempted missile attack on a US Navy warship. The strikes are part of escalating tensions between the US and Iran. US forces are increasing military and economic pressure around Hormuz. US forces are protecting commercial vessels and imposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports. The statement said the US strikes were in response to Iranian attempts to attack the warship with ballistic missiles over the past two days. These latest retaliatory strikes come as Washington and Tehran are once again heading towards war during the more than six-month-long war. Iran has threatened retaliation. IRGC has broadcast warnings on Iranian oil tankers near the ports of Baha'i and Kuwaiti oil ports and television warnings that oil tankers are being targeted near the state of Kuwait.