An American official stated that the United States struck oil tankers with ties to Iran, in retaliation for attempts to attack US vessels. No further details or independent confirmation were provided. The claim was cited by Ynet.
Tonight, a US official told Ynet that the United States struck oil tankers with ties to Iran in response to attempts to attack American vessels. The statement, attributed to an unnamed official, adds an explicit retaliation rationale to a campaign of strikes that has unfolded over the past two hours.
The strikes were first reported at 21:56 Jerusalem, when an American official confirmed ongoing airstrikes against Iranian oil tankers. Within minutes, multiple US officials confirmed the strikes targeted tankers near Kharg Island and the port city of Jask, describing the operation as part of a broader effort to damage Iran's economy. Iranian state media then reported that a second tanker had been struck and that crews were evacuating by lifeboat. The IRGC warned that all tankers anchored in Bahrain and Kuwait would be attacked in retaliation.
The strikes are the latest in a direct military campaign between Washington and Tehran that has escalated since late June. As The Zioneer reported, the US military confirmed "powerful" strikes against Iran on July 8 in retaliation for tanker attacks, and continued aerial operations through July, with a US official confirming strikes and a nuclear facility being added to the target list on July 14. In August, CENTCOM confirmed US forces fired on a vessel attempting to breach the naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The new statement has not been independently corroborated, and the US military has not released official details on the location, timing, or extent of the strikes. The earlier Iranian claim that three tankers were hit has not been confirmed by non-Iranian sources. The IRGC's threat to attack tankers in Bahrain and Kuwait has not yet been executed.
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