United States forces have struck five oil tankers linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after attempted Iranian attacks on a U.S. warship, while renewed tensions across the Middle East pushed oil prices towards $100 a barrel.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday that it had "destroyed" five oil tankers associated with the IRGC in response to a series of unsuccessful Iranian missile attacks against a U.S. warship in recent days.
Four of the tankers were struck in the Gulf of Oman, while a fifth was hit near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, Iran's main terminal for crude oil exports, according to CENTCOM.
The U.S. military said the vessels were part of Iran's so-called shadow fleet, a network of tankers used to transport Iranian oil and generate revenue for Tehran.
"American forces directed the crews to abandon ship before the vessels were struck and rendered inoperable," CENTCOM said in a statement accompanying video footage of the operation.
The strikes came as Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, traded at a seven-week high near $97 a barrel on Tuesday, extending a rally that began towards the end of August.
Tensions also escalated elsewhere in the region. Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen launched attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, prompting Riyadh to retaliate with strikes of its own.
The exchanges marked the most serious attacks between the sides since they agreed to a truce four years ago.
Meanwhile, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council said Monday that Tehran plans to declare a maritime "exclusion zone" outside the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran intends to stop vessels from transiting the area without its permission, raising further concerns over disruptions to a key global oil shipping route.
CENTCOM also said it had struck three Iranian oil tankers over the weekend in retaliation for an earlier attempted Iranian attack on U.S. Navy vessels.
