US attacks 5 Iranian oil tankers, Tehran retaliates with strikes on Jordan - Al Jazeera

**U.S. Strikes Hit Five Iranian Oil Tankers After Warship Attack**

Washington said its forces destroyed five Iranian‑flagged oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Monday, describing the operation as a direct response to a “provocative” attack on the U.S. Navy destroyer *USS Carney* earlier that week. According to the Pentagon, the tankers were identified as part of a fleet transporting fuel for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and were neutralized by a combination of cruise‑missile strikes and naval gunfire. The U.S. Department of Defense released satellite imagery and video footage showing multiple explosions on the vessels, and claimed that none of the ships were carrying civilian cargo.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard denounced the U.S. action as an “unjustified aggression” and vowed retaliation. Within hours of the reported strikes, IRGC missile units fired a barrage of ballistic missiles toward the U.S. Al‑Dhafra air base in Jordan, a key hub for American operations in the region. The missiles struck the perimeter of the base, causing structural damage and igniting several secondary explosions, though Jordanian officials said no U.S. personnel were injured. Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, asserted that the attack was a “legitimate response to U.S. hostility” and warned that further strikes could follow if Washington continues its “illegal interference” in Persian Gulf shipping.

The escalating tit‑for‑tat has drawn concern from regional allies and the broader international community. Jordan’s government condemned the missile attack as a violation of its sovereignty and called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Meanwhile, European foreign ministries urged restraint, emphasizing the risk of a broader conflagration that could disrupt global oil markets and endanger civilian lives. Both Washington and Tehran have signaled that diplomatic channels remain open, but the rapid succession of military actions underscores the fragility of the already volatile West Asian security landscape.