US destroys five Iranian tankers as Iran strikes Jordan base and Gulf shipping

US strikes on Iranian tanker fleet

United States Central Command destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on 8 September following repeated ballistic missile attacks directed at a US Navy warship. The targeted vessels included M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, and M/T Riesco in the Gulf of Oman, along with M/T Derya near Kharg Island. American forces ordered civilian crews to evacuate before disabling the ships, reporting zero American casualties. Centcom released video documentation of the strikes, noting that the targeted vessels formed part of a multibillion-dollar network financing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The operation followed an earlier strike on 5 September, when US forces destroyed three Iranian tankers after missile attacks against an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer.

Retaliation against Jordan airbase and Gulf shipping

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched 20 ballistic missiles targeting the al-Azraq airbase in Jordan, where approximately 4,000 American military personnel are stationed. Iranian forces used solid and liquid propellant missiles, including cluster munitions, targeting hangars and maintenance facilities housing F-15, F-16, and F-35 fighter aircraft. Jordanian air defences intercepted 18 of the incoming missiles, while two landed in uninhabited territory without causing casualties. Simultaneously, Iranian forces launched maritime attacks across the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, claiming strikes against two US warships, eight oil tankers, and ten other vessels. Local sources also reported an explosion near Bandar-e Jask. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirmed that multiple commercial merchant ships sustained damage and were disabled across the northern Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Tehran demands and nuclear tensions

Revolutionary Guard spokesperson Hossein Mohebi announced that Iran would expand its maritime restriction zone across portions of the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Any ship that crosses that area will be sanctioned.

Mohebi stated Tehran's terms to halt the conflict, demanding an end to US military strikes, an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, a cessation of operations in Yemen, the release of $24 billion in frozen foreign assets, and an end to foreign interference in Iranian nuclear and missile programs. Concurrently, the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors referred Iran to the United Nations Security Council over non-compliance with nuclear safeguards. Satellite imagery reviewed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies recorded increased construction at Iran's Pickaxe Mountain underground nuclear facility.

Market impact and political reactions

Maritime disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a corridor handling 20% of global crude oil transit, pushed crude prices to $101.37 per barrel, exceeding the $100 threshold for the first time since July. Natural gas prices reached 79 euros per megawatt-hour at the Amsterdam exchange, matching levels last recorded in late 2022, while European stock markets registered sharp declines. United States political leaders commented on the conflict duration and deterrence posture.

The war will end right after our elections.

US Senator Marco Rubio stated that Iran would lose oil tankers each time its forces targeted American naval vessels.