• The US destroyed five Iranian oil tankers after missile attacks targeted a US Navy warship.
• Iran retaliated by launching missile strikes at a US base in Jordan.
• Jordan's air defenses intercepted the majority of the missiles aimed at its territory.
• Oil prices spiked amidst the escalating military conflict in the region.
• The US stated that the Iranian tankers were part of a "shadow network" financing the IRGC.

The United States military launched an attack on five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, responding to missile strikes by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that targeted a US Navy warship twice in recent days. The US Central Command (Centcom) reported that tanks including M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, M/T Riesco, and M/T Derya were destroyed, emphasizing that the crews were ordered to abandon the vessels prior to the strikes, rendering them inoperable, according to Indiatimes and BBC.

Following the US strikes, Iran retaliated by launching missiles at a US military base located in Jordan, specifically targeting the Al Azraq base. Jordanian forces successfully intercepted and destroyed 18 out of 20 missiles, with the remaining two landing in unpopulated areas. The attacks resulted in no casualties, and Jordan's Armed Forces issued statements confirming the interception, according to Al Jazeera and BBC.

The escalating military tensions, which have intensified over recent months following increased US and Israeli operations against Iran, have had a notable impact on oil prices, raising them to $99.46 per barrel amid the fears of continued conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio underscored the straightforward nature of the US response to Iranian aggression, asserting that further attempts to strike US naval assets would result in the loss of Iranian tankers, as seen in the latest exchanges, according to Indiatimes, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

In a pointed response to the US attacks, the IRGC warned that any Iranian oil tankers would be targeted if similar strikes occurred again, indicating the volatility of the region and the potential for further military actions. Reports indicated that some of the missiles targeted US fighter jet hangars at the Jordanian base, showcasing the seriousness of the Iranian response to the recent US military operations, according to Al Jazeera and BBC.