The US struck Iranian oil tankers yesterday, September 8, after Iran attempted to destroy a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles.
“The US warship successfully evaded the attempted Iranian attacks and continued patrolling regional waters. No US personnel were injured,” US Central Command said in a statement.
Iran also attacked a US military base in Jordan in retaliation, as well as other vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Talks between the two sides on a permanent ceasefire have stalled after the latest temporary agreement expired in August.
Meanwhile, oil prices continue to rise, approaching $100 a barrel, as markets remain concerned about disruptions to tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has maintained its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz since the war began more than six months ago, while the US has imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports. Under normal conditions, around one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments pass through the strait.
Separately, the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen attacked four cities in Saudi Arabia, injuring more than 70 people and causing fires at oil facilities.
Sources: Reuters, The Guardian
