US Strikes Iranian Oil Tankers as Tehran Targets American Base in Jordan

September 9, 2026 | Glamester News

The war between the United States and Iran has entered another dangerous phase after the U.S. military said it destroyed five Iranian oil tankers, prompting Iran to launch ballistic missiles toward a U.S.-used military base in Jordan.

The latest exchange marks a sharp escalation in a conflict that has already disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, pushed oil prices toward $100 a barrel and increased the risk of the fighting spreading further across the Middle East.

Jordan said its air-defence systems intercepted 18 of 20 Iranian ballistic missiles launched toward its territory. Two missiles fell in unpopulated areas, and authorities reported no casualties from the attack.

Here is what we know about the latest developments and why they matter.

Why did the US strike Iranian oil tankers?

The U.S. military said its latest strikes were carried out after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attempted to attack a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles on two occasions over two days.

U.S. Central Command said American forces destroyed five Iranian crude-oil carriers: four in the Gulf of Oman and another near Kharg Island, one of Iran’s most important oil-exporting areas.

The tankers identified by CENTCOM included the M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, M/T Riesco and M/T Derya.

According to the U.S. military, crews were ordered to abandon the vessels before the strikes. CENTCOM later released video that it said showed one of the tankers sinking.

Washington says the vessels were connected to an Iranian network supporting the Revolutionary Guard and its regional allies.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the operation, saying that if Iran continues attempting to attack American naval ships, the United States will continue targeting Iranian tankers.

Iran retaliates against a U.S. base in Jordan

Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles toward Al Azraq, a military area in Jordan used by U.S. forces.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed that the attack caused significant damage to facilities used by American fighter aircraft. Those claims have not been independently verified.

Jordan’s military gave a different picture of the outcome.

According to the Jordanian Armed Forces, its air-defence systems engaged 20 ballistic missiles and successfully intercepted 18 of them. The remaining two landed in unpopulated areas. Jordan reported no casualties.

A U.S. official also said American personnel were accounted for and that the Iranian attack was ineffective.

The attack is particularly significant because Jordan is not a direct participant in the U.S.-Iran confrontation but has repeatedly found itself dealing with missiles and other threats linked to the wider war.

Iran says it also attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz

The confrontation has not been limited to military bases.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said its forces also attacked 10 vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz, including two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers.

Iran claimed that the attacks caused extensive damage, but those claims have not been independently verified.

The developments are particularly concerning because the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy corridors.

Before the war, roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies passed through the waterway. Continued disruption therefore has consequences far beyond Iran and the United States.

Oil prices are approaching $100

Energy markets have reacted quickly to the renewed attacks.

Brent crude was trading close to $100 per barrel on Wednesday as investors and traders assessed the potential impact of the attacks on tanker traffic and regional oil supplies.

The concern is not simply that five Iranian tankers were destroyed.

Markets are watching whether the conflict could interfere with a much larger volume of oil moving through the Gulf.

If tanker traffic remains restricted for an extended period, energy prices could remain elevated. Higher oil prices can eventually affect transportation, manufacturing, shipping and household costs in countries far from the Middle East.

The Strait of Hormuz is becoming the center of the conflict

The latest attacks have made the Strait of Hormuz increasingly important to the military confrontation.

Iran has sought to restrict shipping through the waterway, while the United States has been attempting to maintain pressure on Iranian exports and protect maritime movement.

Both sides are therefore using control of shipping and energy infrastructure as part of their broader strategy.

The result is an increasingly risky environment for commercial vessels.

Iran has also warned tanker crews near ports in Kuwait and Bahrain to leave their vessels, adding to concerns that the confrontation could affect Gulf shipping beyond the immediate battlefield.

The conflict is spreading across the region

The latest U.S.-Iran exchange comes as Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen have also launched attacks against Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis reported attacks involving missiles and drones against several locations in southern Saudi Arabia, including facilities connected to the country’s energy infrastructure.

Saudi authorities said the attacks caused injuries, including to women and children, and reported fires at targeted sites.

This creates another potential threat to regional energy supplies.

The Gulf region contains some of the world’s largest oil producers, meaning simultaneous attacks on shipping and energy infrastructure could have consequences for the global economy.

Iran and the US are giving very different accounts

One of the most important things to keep in mind when following the conflict is that claims from both sides are not always independently verifiable.

The U.S. says its attacks were a response to attempted Iranian attacks on American warships.

Iran says the American attacks on its tankers are unlawful aggression and has claimed damage to U.S. military and commercial vessels in retaliation.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the tanker attacks as violations of international law, while Washington has defended the strikes as necessary military action.

For readers following the story, it is therefore important to distinguish between confirmed events, official claims and information that has not yet been independently verified.

What does this mean for the wider war?

The latest exchange suggests that the conflict is moving into a particularly dangerous phase.

The United States is now targeting Iranian economic assets at sea in response to attacks on its military forces. Iran, meanwhile, is responding by targeting U.S. positions and shipping in the region.

That creates a cycle in which each new attack could produce another round of retaliation.

The risk is that the conflict could expand beyond the existing U.S.-Iran confrontation and increasingly involve Jordan, Gulf states, Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping.

The involvement of the Strait of Hormuz makes the situation especially sensitive because disruption there can affect countries that are not directly involved in the war.

Could the situation get worse?

That remains the biggest question.

For now, neither Washington nor Tehran appears to be backing away from its stated position.

The United States has warned that further attacks on American warships could lead to additional strikes on Iranian tankers. Iran has threatened vessels and U.S. positions across the region.

At the same time, diplomatic options have not completely disappeared.

The possibility of negotiations remains important because a prolonged confrontation could impose enormous costs on both sides and increase pressure on global energy markets.

But after the latest exchange of attacks, the immediate priority appears to be military rather than diplomatic.

What to watch next

The next developments could determine whether this is another short escalation or the beginning of a much broader phase of the war.

The most important areas to watch are:

• The Strait of Hormuz: whether commercial shipping continues to move normally.
• Iranian retaliation: whether Tehran carries out additional attacks against U.S. forces.
• U.S. military response: whether Washington strikes additional Iranian economic or military targets.
• Jordan: whether further missiles are launched toward American positions.
• Saudi Arabia and Gulf states: whether attacks on energy infrastructure increase.
• Oil prices: whether crude moves decisively above the $100-a-barrel level.
• Diplomacy: whether any serious channel for negotiations reopens.

For now, the latest developments represent one of the most serious escalations in the six-month-old conflict.

The destruction of five Iranian oil tankers, followed by Iran’s missile attack toward a U.S.-used base in Jordan and claims of attacks on vessels around the Strait of Hormuz, shows how quickly the conflict can move between military, economic and maritime targets.

As the situation develops, the biggest concern for the wider world may be whether the fighting remains contained or begins to threaten the broader Gulf energy and shipping system.

About The Author