Iran announces targeting of 3 oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it targeted three oil tankers while they were attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that the vessels ignored warnings and continued sailing through a route it described as “dangerous and illegal.” According to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC’s naval force stated in a Wednesday bulletin that the three oil tankers persisted in their navigation despite warnings, prompting Iranian forces to target them and force them to stop. The bulletin added that “US military interventions in the region and the illegal directives issued to ships will not go unanswered.”
In a related development, the IRGC announced that it struck what it said was a US air base in Jordan, along with a headquarters of the US Central Command, using several ballistic missiles. According to reports by Iranian state media, the IRGC clarified in a statement that the attack was “in response to hostile acts carried out by the US military.” The statement affirmed that “resistance will continue as long as threats are directed at Iran,” calling on the US administration to halt its “illegal threats and interventions.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the US military announced in a statement that it had intercepted a large number of ballistic missiles launched by Iran toward US forces in the Middle East region, describing the attack as a “surprise attempt.” On Wednesday morning, the Jordanian military announced in a statement that it had shot down five “Iranian” missiles that targeted the kingdom’s territory in the early hours of the day.
On July 24, the latest round of regional military confrontation between the United States and Iran came to a halt. Over the course of two weeks, Tehran had launched attacks on what it said were US military facilities and equipment in Arab countries, particularly Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, in response to daily US attacks on Iran.
Washington and Tehran had signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 last year and begun negotiations to conclude a final agreement, before disagreements erupted over guarantees of freedom and security of navigation in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for energy supplies and trade.
On February 28 last year, the United States and Israel launched an aggression against Iran, resulting in the deaths of more than 3,000 people, according to Tehran, which retaliated with attacks that killed Americans and Israelis.
