The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued an evacuation order for tanker crews in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports, according to Iranian reports. This follows US strikes on Iranian oil tankers. Two Iranian tankers that were attacked by the US have been moved near the port of Jask in the Gulf of Oman, per Iranian media. The US strikes may have been retaliation for a previously unreported IRGC attack on US warships on Monday, according to security analysts.
The maritime confrontation between the United States and Iran continued to escalate overnight. According to Iranian media reports, the IRGC issued an evacuation notice for tanker crews in the ports of Kuwait and Bahrain, suggesting heightened readiness for further US strikes. Two Iranian oil tankers that were attacked by the US earlier have been relocated near the strategic port of Jask in the Gulf of Oman.
The development comes after a series of US strikes on Iranian oil tankers, which US officials previously confirmed as part of a campaign targeting IRGC-linked economic assets. As The Zioneer reported on September 8, US officials confirmed airstrikes against Iranian oil tankers near Kharg Island and Jask. On September 5, CENTCOM warned Iran that its oil fleet is "next" after destroying three IRGC-linked tankers.
Security analysts cited in the reports suggest the US strikes may have been a retaliatory measure for an unreported IRGC attack on US warships on Monday, though no US vessels were hit. The evacuation order in Kuwait and Bahrain ports, if verified, indicates the IRGC is taking defensive precautions against potential further US action in the region.
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