Iran Strikes Two Tankers Under U.S. Escort in Hormuz; Trump Convenes Cabinet
Iran said it struck two tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz under U.S. Navy escort as President Trump gathered his cabinet to weigh next steps in the widening war.
Developing story — this page will be updated as information becomes available.
Iran said on Friday that its forces struck two commercial tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz under U.S. Navy escort, according to reporting by The Guardian, as President Donald Trump gathered his cabinet in Washington to consider next steps in the widening conflict with Tehran. Energy prices have surged again since fighting between the United States and Iran resumed two weeks ago.
What we know
Iran claimed the strikes on two tankers moving through Hormuz under armed U.S. Navy escort, according to the Guardian, which is running a rolling Middle East crisis live blog. It is the second consecutive day of confirmed Iranian action against shipping in the waterway. The Guardian reports the attacks come as the U.S. and Iran remain in open combat after strikes and counter-strikes across the region this week.
President Trump convened his cabinet on Friday to discuss the war, according to the Guardian. The gathering follows confirmed Iranian strikes on U.S. facilities in Kuwait a day earlier — an operation Iran said was retaliation for U.S. airstrikes on Qeshm and other targets in southern Iran.
Oil markets moved higher on the news, with Iran claiming attacks on U.S. bases in both Kuwait and Bahrain earlier in the day according to OilPrice.com. Early-week hopes of a swift de-escalation have collapsed.
What we don’t know
The names, flag states, cargoes, and operators of the two struck tankers have not been publicly identified. U.S. Central Command has not, at the time of publication, released its own account of the incident, and there has been no independent confirmation of the extent of damage, casualties among crew, or damage to escorting U.S. Navy vessels. This is a developing story and details are expected to change.
Context
The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a fifth of global seaborne oil. Friday’s strikes are the first known instance in this cycle of Iran directly attacking merchant shipping that was under active U.S. Navy escort — a significant escalation from Wednesday’s tanker fire in the strait, which involved Iranian claims of forcing vessels to retreat rather than a direct hit on an escorted convoy.
The cabinet meeting comes after a week of tit-for-tat action: U.S. strikes on Bandar Abbas, Kish, and Qeshm in southern Iran, followed by Iranian retaliation on U.S. positions in Kuwait and reported attacks on Bahrain. The tanker strikes bring the fight squarely back into the world’s most important oil chokepoint.
What to watch
- Whether U.S. Central Command confirms the strikes, releases imagery, and characterizes any damage to Navy escorts.
- Any decision emerging from the Friday cabinet meeting — particularly authorization for further strikes inside Iran or a change in rules of engagement in Hormuz.
- Brent and WTI settlement prices and any statement from OPEC producers on emergency supply measures.
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