The Iranian Revolutionary Guard threatens to respond to oil tanker attacks

(CNN) - On Tuesday, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards vowed to respond to attacks on Iranian oil tankers by targeting similar tankers near Bahraini and Kuwaiti ports.

The Iranian Radio and Television Corporation quoted the Revolutionary Guard as saying: “We warn all oil tanker crews located in the vicinity of the ports of Kuwait and Bahrain that host these (American) terrorists and participate in their hostile actions of the necessity of leaving their ships immediately, whether they are anchored at sea or at the docks, as these ships will be targeted.”

The semi-official Iranian Tasnim News Agency reported that one of the Iranian tankers that was attacked on Tuesday was four miles from Kharg Island, which is the island that is a major center for Iranian oil exports.

The Broadcasting Corporation also reported that a second tanker was attacked off the coast of Jask, noting that the crews of the two ships were being transported to land using lifeboats.

These latest attacks come in the wake of US forces targeting an Iranian oil tanker about 6 miles from Kharg Island over the weekend.