US-Iran attacks intensify around Strait of Hormuz

The United States and Iran have exchanged attacks around the Strait of Hormuz, escalating a conflict that has continued for about six months and putting further pressure on a critical oil-shipping route.

US Central Command said American forces struck three Iranian vessels: a tanker near Kharg Island, another near Jask and an unladen vessel in the Gulf of Oman. The command said the attacks followed Iranian ballistic-missile launches towards a US aircraft carrier and destroyer, which it said evaded the strikes without injuries.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had launched several missiles at the US warships, accusing them of harassing Iranian vessels and supporting a naval blockade. Iran also said it targeted three tankers travelling along an “unauthorised route” and three US-linked vessels. The reported damage from the attacks has not been independently verified.

The exchanges are affecting traffic through the strait, which previously carried about 20 per cent of global oil supplies, or roughly 20 million barrels a day. Data cited by Al Jazeera from marine analytics firm Kpler showed five vessels crossing on Monday, 11 on Tuesday and six on Wednesday, with a 10-day average of 13 vessels a day.

Washington has maintained that the waterway is open and says oil shipments have continued, while figures for current volumes remain disputed. The US says the Iranian tankers it targeted were part of a shadow network that helped finance the Revolutionary Guard and its regional allies. Iran has used such networks to evade sanctions and sell oil.

The disruption has fed into energy markets. Brent crude reportedly closed at $96.28 a barrel, while average US diesel prices reached a record $5.85 a gallon. Al Jazeera reported that analysts see further clashes and miscalculation as possible while the naval blockade and sanctions remain in place.