UK Maritime Trade Operations, a maritime monitoring agency, reported an attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Iraq. The ship was hit by a projectile 52 kilometres (28 nautical miles) southeast of al-Faw.

Iran claimed to have attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz after the United States announced it had sunk five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island, accusing Tehran of firing ballistic missiles at a U.S. warship. Iran also claimed to have fired missiles at U.S. forces stationed at the Al-Azraq base in Jordan.

Rising tension in the Gulf.

The exchanges of fire that took place overnight between Saturday and Sunday, and again on Wednesday morning, occurred against a backdrop of rising tension in the Gulf. This is six months into the war involving the United States and Israel against Iran, a conflict which has seen Tehran close the Strait of Hormuz and Washington impose a naval blockade on Iranian ports. These hostilities pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel in early trading on Wednesday. The Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned U.S. attacks on Iranian oil tankers, warning of the consequences such attacks could have for the situation. 

 U.S. attacks on Iranian oil tankers

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has condemned U.S. attacks on Iranian oil tankers, warning of the consequences such attacks could have for the region. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has stated that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attempted to attack a U.S. warship twice in the last two days, but the vessel managed to evade the attacks. No U.S. personnel were injured,” the statement read. CENTCOM declared that it had responded by striking and destroying the Iranian oil tankers Kaviz, Charminar, Horizon 1 and Riesco in the Gulf of Oman, as well as one near Kharg Island. CENTCOM also released a video that it claims shows the Riesco sinking in the Gulf of Oman.

Attacks against the U.S. Navy destroyers DDG-119 and DDG-53 

The IRGC corroborated reports that five oil tankers had been targeted. The Al-Azraq base in Jordan was subjected to "heavy missile attacks" in retaliation, it was stated. It was claimed that hangars used by U.S. fighter jets were destroyed in the strikes.

Responsibility for the ballistic missile attacks against the U.S. Navy destroyers DDG-119 and DDG-53 was also claimed by the Revolutionary Guards, with it being stated that "significant damage to these vessels" was caused by the attacks. Subsequently, the force claimed that its naval units had targeted 'two American ships and eight oil tankers in the region', causing severe damage. It is unclear whether the two 'American ships' were the same destroyers mentioned in the earlier statement. The United States did not immediately comment on the Iranian claims.

Related: Trump threatens to blow up Iran’s Kharg Island oil hub

A warning has been issued by the IRGC

A statement from Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) warning of imminent attacks on oil tankers near the border between Bahrain and Kuwait was followed by attacks on the ships. The Revolutionary Guards ordered all crews to evacuate immediately. The IRGC has also announced the establishment of a restricted maritime zone that will extend from Chabahar in Iran to parts of the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The precise coordinates of this zone will be announced at a later date. This announcement follows statements made on Sunday by Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, who said that Iran would establish a restricted zone outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, UK Maritime Trade Operations, a maritime monitoring agency, reported an attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Iraq. The ship was hit by a projectile 52 kilometres (28 nautical miles) southeast of al-Faw.

Source: Agencies + Imag:NewsX

#Tensions #The IRGC # U.S. Navy # CENTCOM #Gulf of Oman #Hormuz Strait #Iranian Foreign Ministry #Kharg Island # Jordan#coast of Iraq#American ships #Arabian Sea