U.S. forces fired on and disabled two Iranian oil tankers on Friday after they reportedly attempted to breach a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The escalation follows an overnight exchange of fire between U.S. destroyers and Iranian Revolutionary Guard units in the Strait of Hormuz.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported a fresh barrage of Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting regional logistics hubs.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Washington is awaiting a “serious offer” from Tehran to end the conflict and roll back its nuclear program.
China expressed “grave concern” after a Chinese-crewed tanker was hit in the crossfire, complicating the upcoming Trump-Xi summit in Beijing.
President Trump maintains the month-old ceasefire is “holding” despite the kinetic strikes, emphasizing the pressure to reopen global shipping lanes.
The UAE is the new front line; if their infrastructure crumbles, the global fertilizer and gas supply follows.
China’s involvement is the wild card; a hit on a Chinese crew is the exact spark needed to turn a regional war global.
U.S. fires on and disables 2 more Iranian tankers as tensions rise in the Strait of Hormuz
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. forces fired on and disabled two Iranian oil tankers on Friday after exchanging fire with Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz overnight. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, reported another Iranian missile and drone attack.
The attacks cast more doubt on a tenuous month-old ceasefire that the United States has insisted is still in effect. Washington is awaiting an Iranian response to its latest proposal for a deal to end the war, reopen the strait and roll back Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he hopes to receive “a serious offer” from Iran later Friday.
The U.S. military said Friday that its forces had disabled two Iranian tankers that were trying to breach an American blockade of Iran’s ports. Hours earlier, the military said it thwarted attacks on three Navy ships and struck Iranian military facilities in the strait.
Iran has mostly blocked the critical waterway for global energy since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, causing a global spike in fuel prices and rattling world markets. The U.S. has imposed its own blockade of Iran’s ports.