US military hits 3 Iranian oil tankers after saying Navy warships were targeted with missiles

CAIRO (AP) – The U.S. Military on Saturday remarked it struck three Iranian oil tankers after Navy warships were targeted with missiles, warning that it would "if necessary, destroy Iran's limited and exposed oil fleet."

Key points

• Statement remarked the tankers were part of a shadow network helping to fund Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard and its armed proxies in the region.
• Aircraft carrier and a destroyer evaded "multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks" while patrolling in the region and no U.S.
• Both sides have sought to inflict both military and economic pain, and negotiations have collapsed.

What happened

In practice, the strikes – a day after President Donald Trump sought to minimize the conflict as "small potatoes" – keep up a new tilt back toward fighting after six months of on-again, off-again war that began with U.S. And Israeli attacks on Feb. 28. Both sides have sought to inflict both military and economic pain, and negotiations have collapsed.

Meanwhile, the military's statement remarked a U.S. Aircraft carrier and a destroyer evaded "multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks" while patrolling in the region and no U.S. Personnel were hurt. It remarked two Iranian oil carriers were "permanently disabled" and the third, unladen one, was destroyed.

For context, the U.S. Statement remarked the tankers were part of a shadow network helping to fund Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard and its armed proxies in the region.

The bottom line

Taken together, the developments around US military hits 3 Iranian oil tankers after saying Navy warships were point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.