Report: U.S. May Strike Iran After Tanker Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz
Britain reported this afternoon that another tanker — the third since morning — was attacked by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. In response, the U.S. military is weighing strikes on targets in Iran.
U.S. Navy in the Arabian Sea (Photo: Shutterstock)Reuters reported Tuesday evening that the U.S. military is prepared to strike military targets in Iran, following a series of Iranian attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz throughout the day.
Britain's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receipt of a report indicating that a tanker had been struck in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the report, the vessel was hit by an unidentified drone and sustained minor damage, with no casualties reported. Earlier in the day, the same agency reported damage to a separate oil tanker transiting the strait near the Omani coastline.
As reported earlier, Qatar announced in the morning that one of its tankers had come under missile fire while passing through the strait. Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari responded sharply to the strike: "We hold Iran fully responsible for this act of aggression and for any damage and consequences that may result. We demand that Iran immediately cease all actions that undermine regional security or threaten the safety of international navigation. The attack on the Qatari tanker Al Rekayyat as it transited near the Strait of Hormuz constitutes an unacceptable act of aggression against the security and freedom of international navigation."
Iranian state television confirmed that Tehran had targeted a tanker carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the vessel had been struck after it "ignored warnings." An official American source separately told Axios that two merchant vessels had been hit by Iranian-launched missiles.
