The United States escalated its confrontation with Iran in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday by targeting two Iranian government-owned oil tankers, in a move that US officials said represented the first application of a new policy approved by President Donald Trump called “tanker for tanker,” in response to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the strait.
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US officials said the US military carried out about 100 strikes on various targets during the operation, including Iranian Revolutionary Guard air defense sites, radar and communications systems, mine-laying capabilities, and platforms for launching anti-ship cruise missiles and attack drones.
The two Iranian tankers targeted were anchored off the Iranian coast, north of the US-imposed maritime blockade. US drones fired missiles that struck the tankers' engine rooms, according to officials.
Targeting the tankers represents a shift in the nature of US operations within the strait, as a US official said the strike was not intended to prevent the two tankers from breaching the naval blockade, but rather came in response to Iranian attacks on ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
The official added that the “tanker-for-tanker” policy was approved by Trump with the aim of increasing pressure on Iran and deterring it from attacking oil tankers and commercial vessels that use one of the most important maritime routes for transporting energy in the world.
The strikes coincided with a series of Iranian attacks on US targets in the region. US officials said Iran launched approximately 25 ballistic missiles, only about half of which reached Jordanian airspace, while air defenses intercepted ten, and three others fell without causing any casualties.
Iran also launched approximately 24 drones toward US bases in Bahrain, most of which were intercepted by US forces, in addition to launching ballistic missiles and drones toward US bases in Kuwait. In Iraq, Iran launched two drones toward a US base in Erbil, in the Kurdistan Region, which were also intercepted.
Washington said the US strikes were not only a response to recent attacks, but also part of a broader plan to prevent Iran from rebuilding its military capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz, particularly radar and missile systems that could be used to target ships passing through the strait.
In recent days, Trump and his top aides have discussed a plan to continually degrade these capabilities, thereby reducing Iran's ability to threaten U.S. oil tankers, warships, and aircraft. One official described the plan's objective as "mowing the lawn," referring to conducting periodic strikes to prevent Iran from rebuilding its capabilities.
A U.S. official said the recent strikes have already weakened Iran’s offensive capabilities in the Strait, and have delivered at least a month of reduced threat to commercial vessels.
Despite the military escalation, US forces continued to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz. A US official said that approximately 40 ships carrying millions of barrels of oil transited the strait on Tuesday, while US forces intercepted several anti-ship cruise missiles and drones launched by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard toward the ships, without hitting any of them.
Conversely, one of the strikes sparked a dispute between Washington and Tehran over civilian casualties. Iranian media reported that a US strike hit a wedding ceremony in the town of Kuhstak, killing at least four people and injuring 35 others.
US Central Command spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins said the command was aware of the reports, but noted they were coming from Iranian state media, stressing that the US military “never targets civilians.”
With attacks continuing to be exchanged, control of the Strait of Hormuz appears to be at the heart of the escalating confrontation between Washington and Tehran, with the United States trying to keep oil shipping open while simultaneously preventing Iran from having the ability to threaten ships passing through the strait.
A US official said that Iran “has not only lost control of the Strait of Hormuz, but has also lost control of the conflict,” adding that Tehran “has achieved nothing today.”
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