US Launches New Strikes on Iranian Targets After Tanker Attack
The US Central Command announced additional strikes on Iranian targets on June 27, retaliating against Iran's attack on a tanker and a subsequent kamikaze drone strike that hit the tanker Kiku carrying over 2 million barrels of oil near the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States military has conducted fresh strikes against Iranian targets in response to ongoing attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. On Saturday, June 27, forces from US Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out additional strikes on several sites in Iran.
The strikes came after Iranian forces attacked the vessel Ever Lovely earlier and then launched a kamikaze drone that struck the tanker Kiku at 4:30 AM Eastern Time (11:30 Kyiv time) on Saturday. The tanker, sailing under a Panamanian flag, was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil.
CENTCOM stated that the strikes targeted Iranian military infrastructure, including surveillance capabilities, communications systems, air defense facilities, drone storage depots, and mining equipment. These operations are a direct response to Iran's aggression against commercial shipping.
Earlier, the US had already conducted strikes on Iran following an attack on a merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, destroying missile and drone storage sites as well as coastal radar stations.
The escalation comes amid a fragile diplomatic process. On June 17, the US and Iran remotely signed a memorandum of understanding on a ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The document serves as a basis for negotiating a final agreement over the next 60 days. The first round of technical talks took place last week in Switzerland.
Meanwhile, the US Congress passed a symbolic resolution in both chambers urging President Donald Trump to end the war with Iran. The resolution calls on Trump to withdraw US forces engaged in combat against Tehran unless he receives explicit congressional authorization or a declaration of war. The White House has officially requested $87.6 billion from Congress, primarily to replenish Pentagon stocks after the war against Iran. According to a recent poll, only one in four Americans believes the war with Iran was worth it.
