Iran has launched fresh attacks against United States targets in the Middle East, escalating the ongoing conflict after Washington struck several Iranian oil tankers.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it attacked 20 US-linked vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global energy route that has remained largely under Iranian control since the war began.
The latest escalation came after the United States destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Wednesday, with Washington saying the action followed an Iranian attack on an American warship.
The IRGC also claimed responsibility for a missile attack on the Al-Azraq US air base in Jordan. According to Iranian state media, the strike damaged facilities used for maintenance and repair, fighter shelters and other military deployment areas.
Jordan, however, said its forces intercepted 18 Iranian missiles launched toward the country.
The latest exchange has heightened concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes. Commercial traffic through the strategic waterway has been severely disrupted since the conflict intensified.
Iran has also threatened to target oil tankers operating near US allies Kuwait and Bahrain, further raising fears of a wider regional confrontation and additional pressure on global energy supplies.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Iran could face further losses if it continues attacking American naval vessels, following Washington’s destruction of the five Iranian tankers.
READ ALSO:Â Iran Vows To Keep Strait Of Hormuz Closed Until US Meets Demands
Iran said one of the US strikes hit a tanker near Kharg Island, although it reported no casualties.
The confrontation has already pushed oil prices sharply higher. Brent crude rose to about $99.46 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate traded around $94.45.
Iranian forces also claimed to have seized a modern unmanned US submarine drone. American officials disputed the claim, saying the vessel was an older model that had malfunctioned and did not contain sensitive information.
Iranian state television separately reported that the IRGC had launched ballistic missile attacks against two US destroyers, although the US military had not immediately confirmed the claim.
With both sides continuing to exchange threats and attacks, fears are growing that the conflict could spread further across the Middle East, while disruption around the Strait of Hormuz threatens to add fresh pressure to already volatile global energy markets.