On the 5th local time, the US-Iran military conflict continued. The US military said it attacked three Iranian oil tankers that day.
Subsequently, Iran stated that "out of desperation due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the US military attacked three Iranian oil tankers and caused losses." In response, Iran attacked multiple oil tankers and U.S. ships and warned ships in the Persian Gulf to avoid illegal waterways.
Analysis points out that as the current military operations between the two sides continue and there is no solution to the Strait of Hormuz issue, the regional situation will remain volatile in a short period of time.
US claims strikes against 3 Iranian oil tankers
On the 5th local time, the U.S. Central Command issued a statement saying that the U.S. military attacked three Iranian oil tankers that day in response to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacking two U.S. warships “patrolling in regional waters.”
The statement said that a U.S. aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer evaded multiple Iranian attacks, and that missile attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps did not cause any casualties in the U.S. military.
The statement also stated that the US military immediately attacked two Iranian oil tankers located in the waters near Iran's Khark Island and the southern port city of Jask, causing them to "permanently lose their navigation capabilities." In addition, the US military also launched an attack on an empty oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, damaging many key locations on the hull and "completely destroying" it.
Iran says it has attacked three ships and oil tankers linked to the United States
After the attack, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy said in a statement that "the U.S. military, out of desperation to be blocked by the Strait of Hormuz, attacked three Iranian oil tankers, causing losses." In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy struck three oil tankers and three U.S.-related ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The Revolutionary Guards Navy warned that all ships in the Persian Gulf should avoid illegal passage, otherwise they will become targets.
As of now, the United States has not confirmed the contents of the above statement.
Iran's military says it may launch larger strike against US
On the 5th local time, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement, strongly condemning the aggressive actions of the United States that attacked Iranian merchant ships in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that day.
The statement stated that these illegal acts of aggression are a continuation of the U.S. military aggression against Iran and are part of the regime's naval blockade and economic war against Iran. They are a clear violation of the United Nations Charter, constitute war crimes, and pose a clear threat to international peace and commercial shipping security. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Iran resolutely defends its national sovereignty and interests and opposes "state terrorism" and acts of aggression by the United States, including the continued maritime blockade, economic warfare, and attacks on merchant ships against Iran.
On the same day, the Hatam Anbia Central Command of the Iranian Armed Forces issued a warning that if the United States continues its unsafe behavior, harasses Iranian ships, and continues to block Iran, the Iranian Armed Forces will carry out more severe attacks on U.S. warships in the area and may expand the scope of the attack.
How long will the US-Iran confrontation last?
On the 5th local time, a reporter from the main station arrived at Bandar Abbas Port, the capital city of Hormozgan Province in southern Iran, and then took a local ship to sail in the Strait of Hormuz. As the US-Iran military operations continue, the number of ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz continues to remain low. Analysis points out that as the current military operations between the two sides continue and there is no solution to the Strait of Hormuz issue, the regional situation will remain volatile in a short period of time.
In addition, the latest assessment report released by the U.S. intelligence agency shows that more than six months after the U.S. launched military operations against Iran, Iran has become "more confident" in its ability to strike U.S. military targets in the Middle East. At the same time, it seems determined to continue confronting the United States until at least the November midterm elections for the U.S. Congress.
Multiple U.S. officials revealed after reading the latest assessment report by the intelligence community that after several months of war, Iran has become more aware of its "military strength" and is more convinced of the importance of the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States is trying to convince Iran that the strategic value of the Strait of Hormuz will eventually be diminished as Gulf states build alternative oil pipeline routes. However, data shows that for now, the economic influence of the Strait of Hormuz, the global energy transportation artery, is still very significant. Data released by "Gasoline Partner", a U.S. refined oil retail price information service organization, shows that the average retail price of diesel in the United States hit a record high on the 3rd, breaking the record in June 2022.
According to the New York Times, judging from the current situation, although Iran is under dual military and economic pressure from the United States, there is no sign that Iran intends to reach any form of agreement with the United States. If Iran is hit again in the future, its reaction may be similar to the previous one, that is, launching counterattacks against US military bases and other targets in the Middle East.
Jason Crow, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, revealed that although Iran has suffered "significant losses," these losses have not exceeded Iran's ability to bear. He believes that the Iranian leadership is now more united, and Iran still has a large inventory of missiles and drones, and may try to "fight a protracted war."
Director System丨Tang Yi
Producer丨Zhao Xinyu
Editor-in-Chief丨Sun Meng
Editor | Liu Wei
Reporters丨Li Jiannan Wu Hanying
(CCTV News Client)
