The United States escalated its confrontation with Iran in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, striking two Iranian government-owned oil tankers in what American officials described as the first application of a new policy known as "tanker for tanker," approved by President Donald Trump in response to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the strait.
اضافة اعلان
US officials said the military carried out roughly 100 strikes against a range of targets, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps air defense sites, radar and communications systems, mine-laying equipment, and launch platforms for anti-ship cruise missiles and attack drones.
The two targeted tankers had been anchored off Iran's coast, north of the line marking the US naval blockade. American drones fired missiles that struck the vessels' engine rooms, officials said.
The strike on the tankers marked a shift in the nature of US operations in the strait. One US official said the action was not intended to stop the tankers from breaching the blockade, but was instead retaliation for Iranian attacks on ships transiting Hormuz. The official added that Trump approved the "tanker for tanker" policy to increase pressure on Iran and deter further attacks on oil tankers and commercial vessels using one of the world's most important energy corridors.
Iranian Retaliation Across the Region
The US strikes coincided with a wave of Iranian attacks on American targets in the region. US officials said Iran launched approximately 25 ballistic missiles, of which only about half reached Jordanian airspace. Jordanian air defenses intercepted ten of the missiles, while three others fell without causing casualties.
Iran also fired around 24 drones toward US bases in Bahrain, most of which American forces intercepted, in addition to launching ballistic missiles and drones toward US installations in Kuwait. In Iraq, Iran fired two drones at a US base in Erbil, in the Kurdistan region; both were intercepted.
Washington said the strikes were not solely a response to the recent attacks, but part of a broader plan to prevent Iran from rebuilding its military capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz, particularly the radar and missile systems that could be used against ships passing through it.
Trump and senior aides had discussed plans in recent days to systematically weaken those capabilities and reduce Iran's ability to threaten oil tankers, warships and American aircraft. One official described the goal as "mowing the lawn," a reference to carrying out periodic strikes to prevent Iran from rebuilding its arsenal.
A US official said the latest strikes had already degraded Iran's offensive capabilities in the strait and bought at least a month of reduced threat levels for commercial shipping.
Shipping Continues Despite Clashes
Despite the military escalation, US forces continued to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. A US official said around 40 ships passed through the strait on Tuesday, carrying millions of barrels of oil, while American forces intercepted several anti-ship cruise missiles and drones that the IRGC fired at the vessels. None of the ships were hit.
Dispute Over Wedding Strike
One strike triggered a dispute between Washington and Tehran over civilian casualties. Iranian media reported that a US strike hit a wedding in the town of Kuhestak, killing at least four people and wounding 35 others.
CENTCOM spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins said the command was aware of the reports but noted they originated from Iranian state media. He said the US military "never targets civilians."
Regional Stakes
As the exchange of strikes continues, control of the Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the escalating confrontation, with Washington seeking to keep oil shipping lanes open while denying Iran the ability to threaten vessels passing through the corridor.
A US official said Iran "has not only lost control of the Strait of Hormuz, but has also lost control of the conflict," adding that Tehran "achieved nothing today."
Reporting based on Al-Ghad and Axios. Additional details corroborated by The Associated Press/Times of Israel.
