The US military on Tuesday said it destroyed five oil tankers in Iran’s so-called shadow fleet following a pair of attempted Iranian ballistic missile attacks targeting an American warship the previous day. The Islamic Republic in turn launched a salvo of missiles at Jordan that was visible from neighboring Israel.
A statement from US Central Command said the targeted US Navy vessel “successfully evaded the attempted Iranian attacks and continued to patrol regional waters. No American personnel were harmed.”
In response, the US launched strikes on Tuesday night that Iranian state television said targeted Iranian oil tankers near the southern port of Jask and near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf.
An Iranian state TV reporter in Jask said an Iranian tanker was struck near the coast of Yekbeni, while another explosion was heard in the area whose source and location were not immediately clear.
State TV later reported that the US military attacked a second tanker near waters off Jask. It said the crews of both vessels were being evacuated by lifeboat toward the Jask coast.
