US hits 3 Iranian oil tankers after saying its warships were targeted

What the report says

The US military says it struck three Iran-linked oil tankers after what it described as missile fire toward two American warships in the region. According to US Central Command, the vessels were hit after Iran launched ballistic missiles at a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer. Centcom said no US personnel were injured.

In its account, Centcom said one tanker near Kharg Island was permanently disabled, another near the Strait of Hormuz was also disabled, and a third in the Gulf of Oman was destroyed. Iranian state media separately reported that one of its oil tankers had been struck off Kharg Island. The BBC report said the US military framed the strikes as a response to attacks on its ships.

The exchange comes amid renewed confrontation between the US and Iran after a period of relative calm. The report notes that earlier fighting had included strikes by the US and Israel on Iran, followed by Iranian attacks on Israel, US bases and allies in the Gulf, and a disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. As background, the narrow waterway is a critical shipping route for global energy supplies, so any escalation there can affect maritime trade and oil transport.