Tensions have flared once again in the Middle East, with mutual attacks between US and Iranian forces near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz causing widespread alarm. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officially announced that it had launched ballistic missile strikes on a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer. Iranian media claimed that the counterattack damaged the US vessels, forcing them to retreat from the area. However, US Central Command strongly denied these Iranian claims.
The US stated clearly that its naval forces successfully intercepted the missiles fired by Iran, that no damage was caused to US warships, and that no Navy personnel were injured. Washington criticized Iranian forces for engaging in what it called unnecessary provocative actions. The underlying cause of the clashes is said to be the ongoing naval rivalry between the two countries in the region. Iran alleged that US forces have been obstructing its commercial vessels and attempting to impose a naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC said that on Saturday morning, US forces attacked and damaged three Iranian crude oil tankers, and that its missile strikes on US warships and other US-linked vessels were carried out in retaliation for that attack. The US, in turn, has accused Iran of attempting to illegally control the movement of vessels through international waters.
In response to Iran’s missile attacks, the US Department of Defense announced that it had permanently destroyed three Iranian oil tankers — identified as the M/T Downey, M/T Stark 1, and M/T Kailo — near Kharg Island and the Jask coastal area. The exchange of attacks along the Strait of Hormuz, a route of critical importance to global oil transport, has caused significant alarm. Iranian forces issued clear warnings to international shipping, stating that they would not spare any vessel travelling through unauthorized waters, and cautioned that any suspicious movements made in reliance on US warnings would carry severe consequences.