The conflict between the United States and Iran continued to escalate on Tuesday after U.S. forces struck the engine room of the Botswana flagged oil tanker M/T Lexie with a Hellfire missile. According to U.S. Central Command, the vessel ignored repeated warnings and failed to follow instructions from American forces for more than 24 hours.
CENTCOM said the missile disabled the tanker and prevented it from reaching Iran. The U.S. military added that the Lexie became the sixth vessel disabled since Washington began enforcing its blockade on Iran on April 13. U.S. forces also claim to have redirected 122 ships attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded with a strong statement, claiming it launched precision missile attacks against U.S. military facilities in Kuwait after accusing Washington of violating Iran’s sovereignty by striking a communications tower on Qeshm Island.
The IRGC further claimed that it targeted the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters and a U.S. air base in the region using missiles and drones. Iran warned that any future attacks or violations would trigger a much stronger response and said the era of “hit and run” operations was over.
Iran also alleged that the United States previously attacked an Iranian tanker near the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Tehran claimed an IRGC naval vessel targeted a ship named Panaya and warned that further interference in the strategic waterway would bring heavier consequences.
However, CENTCOM said U.S. and allied forces successfully intercepted multiple Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. According to the U.S. military, missiles fired toward Kuwait and Bahrain either failed, broke apart, or were intercepted before reaching their targets. Three Iranian drones threatening civilian shipping were also destroyed. The United States said no American casualties were reported and later carried out self defense strikes on an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said reports claiming the United States and Iran had stopped talking were “false and erroneous.” In a Truth Social post earlier in the day, Trump said discussions between Washington and Tehran had continued daily, including over the previous four days, and urged Iran to reach a deal, saying it was time to make an agreement “one way or another.”
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