Iran launched fresh attacks against US targets in the Middle East on Wednesday in retaliation for American strikes on Iranian oil tankers, dragging the foes deeper into conflict. Tehran's powerful Revolutionary Guards said they attacked 20 US vessels trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the world's oil and gas that Iran has largely controlled since the war erupted.
The United States and Iran are locked in a stalemate six months into the conflict, with Iran maintaining a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz and Washington pushing a campaign to choke Iran's ports and economy. The Guards said they pummeled a US military base in Jordan in response to US forces destroying five Iranian oil tankers the day before.
The US military said it acted after Iran targeted an American warship, the second such attack in less than a week. Oil prices climbed to near $100 a barrel in Asian morning trade, as the flare-up threatened to further choke supply from the crude-rich Middle East.
The price of Brent crude, the benchmark international contract, rose to $99.46 per barrel, while the main US contract West Texas Intermediate was at $94.45 per barrel. The Islamic republic also said it would target oil tankers off US-allied Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for the US strikes on its tankers.
Minutes later, Iran's Revolutionary Guards -- the most powerful arm of the Iranian military -- said they had struck the US air base of Al-Azraq in Jordan with missiles, state media reported. The 'punitive operation' damaged maintenance and repair facilities, deployment locations and shelters for fighter jets, according to IRNA.
Jordan's army said it shot down 18 missiles from Iran targeting the kingdom. The strikes came after Tehran urged crews on oil tankers off Kuwait and Bahrain to leave their vessels, warning they 'will be targeted', the Guards said in a statement posted on IRNA.
The latest round of fighting was triggered after US forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers, with the US military saying it 'directed the crews to abandon ship' before hitting the vessels. 'Iran continues to try to hit US naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they're going to lose tankers, and I think you'll see that again today,' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Tuesday on a visit to Colombia.
The Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries around a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, has been largely paralyzed since the start of the war in February. Tehran requires vessels to obtain permission and pay transit fees before using the strait. Iran's Guards also said on Tuesday they seized 'one of the most modern, unmanned' American submarine drone in the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military said that the drone had 'malfunctioned', insisting it was an 'older model' that did not carry any sensitive data. Iranian state TV also said the Guards had attacked two US destroyers with ballistic missiles. The US military did not immediately comment on the report.
The escalating conflict between Iran and the United States has significant implications for global oil markets and regional stability. For Bangladesh, which relies on imported oil for its energy needs, the rising oil prices and potential supply disruptions pose a serious economic challenge. The government and businesses will need to closely monitor the situation and prepare for potential impacts on the country's energy sector and overall economy.
