On September 8 (US time), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington would continue to target Iranian oil tankers in retaliatory strikes, after US officials said 5 ships had been attacked.
Iran continues to try to attack US warships, and every time they do or try to do so, they will lose the oil tanker. I think you will see it again today," Mr. Rubio told reporters during a visit to Colombia.
The US attacked 5 Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island on September 8, after accusing Tehran of launching ballistic missiles at a US warship twice in 2 days.
In a statement, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had attempted to attack a US warship twice in the past 2 days, but the ship "successfully dodged Iranian attacks" and "no US personnel were injured".
CENTCOM said it responded by sinking the oil tankers M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1 and M/T Riesco in the Gulf of Oman, along with the M/T Derya near Kharg Island. "US forces asked the crew to leave the ship before the ships were attacked and neutralized," the agency added.
Iranian state television IRIB confirmed the attack near Kharg Island - which once accounted for about 90% of the country's oil exports before the war - said that the crew had been evacuated, and informed that a second oil tanker was hit near the port of Jask in the southern Oman Bay.
Iran responded by firing missiles at US forces stationed at Al Azraq base in Jordan. IRGC affirmed that "many" Iranian merchant ships were hit and declared that it had launched "intense missile strikes" on this base, destroying US fighter jet shelters.
This force also claimed to have attacked two US Navy destroyers numbered DDG-119 and DDG-53 with ballistic missiles, claiming "significant damage has been caused to these ships".
Jordan provided other information. The country's armed forces said that the air defense system had engaged 20 ballistic missiles and "successfully intercepted and destroyed 18 missiles", the remaining two "fell in uninhabited areas". The attacks did not cause casualties, and specialized teams "have begun to blockade locations where debris and shrapnel fell".
The IRGC also threatened to target oil tankers at ports in Kuwait and Bahrain. "We warn the entire crew of oil tankers at ports in Kuwait and Bahrain... to leave the ship immediately, whether anchored or in port, because they will be targeted," the statement said.
