US strikes Iranian tankers for first time under new deterrence policy
The scale of Tuesday's strikes, around 100 targets including radar, mine laying and anti ship missile capabilities, points to a deliberate US effort to degrade Iran's ability to threaten Hormuz shipping for an extended period, with one official citing at least a month of reduced threat levels. That framing, combined with roughly 40 vessels safely transiting the strait on the day of the strikes, will likely support the case that near term supply disruption risk has eased even as the underlying conflict remains unresolved. The new tanker for tanker policy marks an escalation in US rules of engagement that traders should watch closely, since it introduces a fresh and more direct retaliatory mechanism tied specifically to attacks on shipping. Iran's largely intercepted missile and drone response, alongside disputed casualty claims from a strike in Kuhestak, adds a layer of information risk that could still move sentiment depending on how the narrative develops.
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Earlir:
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The US just showed Iran that attacking tankers now means losing tankers of its own.
Summary:
- US forces struck two Iranian government tankers for the first time, part of a new tanker for tanker policy approved by President Trump to deter attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Axios
- Around 100 targets were hit in Tuesday's strikes, including IRGC air defence sites, radar systems, mine laying capabilities, communications sites, anti ship cruise missile launchers and attack drone launchers
- US drones hit the anchored tankers' engine rooms with missiles; the vessels were positioned north of the US naval blockade line
- Iran's retaliation largely failed, with only about half of roughly 25 ballistic missiles reaching Jordanian airspace, most drones aimed at Bahrain and Kuwait intercepted, and two drones targeting a base in Erbil also intercepted
- A US official said the strikes degraded Iran's attack capabilities and bought at least a month of lowered threat levels for commercial shipping
- Around 40 ships transited the strait on Tuesday despite the exchange of fire, with US forces intercepting several anti ship missiles and drones aimed at them
- Iranian state media reported a US strike hit a wedding ceremony in Kuhestak, killing at least four people and wounding 35, a claim CENTCOM's spokesman disputed
- A US official said Iran has lost control of both the Strait of Hormuz and the broader conflict
The United States struck Iranian government tankers for the first time on Tuesday, marking a new phase in its response to Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Axios. US officials said the strikes were carried out under a newly approved tanker for tanker policy, personally authorised by President Trump, designed to further deter Iranian attacks on vessels moving through the strait. Unlike earlier strikes aimed at preventing Iran from violating the US naval blockade, Tuesday's action against the two anchored tankers was explicitly retaliatory, a shift US officials described as significant.
The tankers were anchored off Iran's coast, north of the blockade line, when US drones launched missiles that struck their engine rooms. They were among roughly 100 targets hit during the day's strikes, which also included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps air defence sites, radar systems, mine laying capabilities, communications infrastructure, anti ship cruise missile launchers and attack drone launchers. Officials said the broader campaign was also intended to prevent Iran from rebuilding the radar and missile systems it needs to threaten ships crossing the strait, part of a plan Axios had reported was under consideration by Trump and his senior aides in the days prior. One official described the intent as reducing the risk to oil tankers, US Navy vessels and Air Force aircraft, characterising the approach as an effort to keep Iran's capabilities in check on an ongoing basis.
Iran's response fell well short of its apparent aims. Of roughly 25 ballistic missiles fired, only about half reached Jordanian airspace, with ten intercepted and three landing without causing casualties. A separate wave of two dozen drones aimed at US bases in Bahrain was mostly intercepted, as were two drones targeting a US base in Erbil, in Iraq's Kurdistan region. Iran also fired ballistic missiles and drones at US bases in Kuwait. Despite the exchange, American forces continued guiding commercial traffic through the strait, with around 40 ships transiting in and out on the day of the strikes, carrying millions of barrels of oil. US forces intercepted several anti ship cruise missiles and drones the IRGC fired toward those vessels, and none were hit.
A dispute over civilian casualties added a further layer of friction. Iranian state media reported that a US strike hit a wedding ceremony in the town of Kuhestak, killing at least four people and wounding 35. CENTCOM spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins responded that the US military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC, while noting the report originated from Iranian state media. A US official framed the day's events as a clear setback for Tehran, arguing that Iran has lost control of both the Strait of Hormuz and the wider conflict, adding that the coming days would test whether the tanker for tanker policy succeeds in altering Iran's calculus around further attacks on shipping.
This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.提供 MainLink：Investinglive RSS Breaking News Feed
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