US and Iran exchange fire on vessels near Strait of Hormuz
US and Iranian forces exchanged attacks involving vessels in waters around Iran on Saturday, in a sharp escalation that threatens to further disrupt energy supplies and deepen the conflict between the two countries.
US Central Command said it struck three Iranian oil carriers, including one near Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships.
“If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost,” US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper said.
The IRGC warned that it would intensify attacks against US military vessels in the region. It later said it had targeted three tankers travelling on unauthorised routes through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as three US-linked vessels in other areas.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that four US missiles struck a tanker near Kharg Island. It said there were no casualties and that the crew was being evacuated.
US Central Command said no American personnel were injured.
The latest exchange follows an escalation over the past week in a conflict that began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. The fighting has disrupted global energy supplies and increased concerns over a wider regional confrontation.
