Iran claims missile strike on American oil tanker

Hind Al Soulia - Riyadh - DUBAI — Iran claimed on Thursday it carried out a missile strike on an American oil tanker in the Arabian Gulf, as escalation continued to rise in the wake of a US-Israeli attack on Tehran.
The claim came shortly after the sinking of the Iranian naval frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, an incident that has already pushed regional tensions to a new level.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the attack happened early Thursday morning. According to Iran’s Mehr news agency, the military targeted the tanker with a missile and set it on fire. Iranian authorities described the strike as a response to what they called an “act of aggression” against their navy.
As of now, the United States has not issued an official confirmation or response regarding the alleged tanker attack.
The escalation follows the sinking of Iran’s frigate IRIS Dena, which was torpedoed by a US submarine near the southern coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday. The vessel was reportedly sailing in international waters when the attack occurred.

Advertisements The ship had previously participated in a multinational naval exercise and fleet review hosted by India before beginning its journey back toward Iranian waters.
Around 180 personnel were believed to be on board the vessel at the time of the strike. Reports indicate that 87 sailors were killed, while 32 survivors were rescued by Sri Lankan naval forces during a search and rescue operation. Several crew members remain missing.
Iranian leaders quickly condemned the strike and promised retaliation.
“The US has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India’s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning,” said Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, adding that Washington will “bitterly regret the precedent it has set.” — Agencies