The United States and Iran have exchanged new attacks at sea, with US forces striking three Iranian vessels and Iran launching ballistic missiles at a US aircraft carrier and destroyer near the Strait of Hormuz. The latest escalation is taking place as Washington maintains a naval blockade of Iranian ports and both sides seek control of the strategic waterway.
US Central Command said no US personnel were injured and that the missiles targeting its ships were evaded. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it also targeted oil tankers using what it called an unauthorised route through the strait.
What happened in the latest exchange
CENTCOM said US forces struck three Iranian vessels: a tanker off Kharg Island, another near Jask and an unladen vessel in the Gulf of Oman whose crew had been told to abandon ship. Kharg Island was the route for 90 percent of Iran’s crude exports before the war, according to the factual account provided.
CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the strikes followed Iranian missile launches against a US aircraft carrier and navy destroyer. The IRGC said it had launched several ballistic missiles at the ships, accusing them of harassing Iranian vessels and supporting a naval blockade. Iran later said its forces had targeted three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and three US-linked vessels elsewhere. For additional context, see “US military says tanker strikes followed Iranian missile attacks”.
Why tankers and the strait matter
Washington says the Iranian tankers it struck were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network used to finance the IRGC and its regional allies. Iran has relied partly on such a fleet to bypass sanctions and sell oil, making those revenues more important since the US began blockading Iranian ports in April.
The Strait of Hormuz carried about 20 percent of the world’s oil supplies before the war, when roughly 20 million barrels moved through it each day. Iran effectively shut the waterway in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks that began on February 28, while Washington has continued pressing Tehran to reopen it through military and economic measures.
The two governments disagree sharply over traffic through the strait. US officials say the waterway is open and that dozens of ships carrying millions of barrels of oil are transiting it. Scott Bessent, the US Treasury secretary, recently said about 17 million barrels of crude had been shipped out in one day, but that figure could not be independently verified. Kpler data cited in the factual account showed six vessels crossing on Wednesday, 11 on Tuesday and five on Monday, with a 10-day average of 13 vessels a day. A related part of this story is covered in “What is really moving through the Strait of Hormuz?”.
The effect on oil prices and the war’s direction
The attacks have added to concerns about energy supplies. Brent crude futures closed at $96.28 a barrel on Friday, compared with about $70 before the war. Average US diesel prices reached $5.85 a gallon, or $1.55 per litre, described in the factual account as a record.
Analysts cited in the account said the latest exchanges mark an escalation in the six-month conflict. Sina Azodi of George Washington University’s Middle East studies programme said neither side was likely to back down without a political settlement, raising the risk of further clashes and miscalculations. Ali Akbar Dareini of Tehran’s Center for Strategic Studies said the tanker strikes would push Iran to retaliate rather than surrender. The development of this issue can be followed in “Why the Strait of Hormuz crisis is reshaping global shipping”.
The conflict has also carried political costs in the United States. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in late August found that 31 percent of Americans supported the war and 63 percent opposed it; the same poll put President Donald Trump’s approval rating at 33 percent, down from 40 percent since fighting began.
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