It attacked and set fire to a fully loaded crude oil tanker off its coast on Monday, as the president warned that the US would completely destroy Iran’s energy facilities and oil wells if it did not open the .
At the same time, the US military carried out massive attacks on Iranian ammunition depots near Isfahan overnight, according to videos posted online. Videos show large secondary explosions after the attacks.
“Attack explosions at 2 o’clock somewhere and secondary explosions”
Received video, Tuesday, April 11— Vahid Online (@Vahid)
In fact, Trump posted the video in question of 900 kg armor-piercing bombs hitting ammunition depots in Isfahan, without any caption.
The attack on the Kuwaiti-flagged Al-Salmi tanker is the latest in a series of missile or drone attacks on merchant ships in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz since the start of US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28.
The conflict, now a month old, has spread across the Middle East, killing thousands, disrupting energy flows and heightening fears of a severe slowdown in the global economy.
after the attack on the tanker, which can carry about 2 million barrels of oil, worth more than $200 million.
Kuwait Petroleum Corp, the ship’s owner, said the attack occurred early Tuesday, causing a fire and damage to the hull, but no injuries were reported. Dubai authorities said the fire was brought under control after a drone strike.
Rising oil and gas prices have begun to weigh on American households, becoming a political headache for Trump and the Republican Party ahead of November’s midterm elections.
The average U.S. gasoline price rose above $4 a gallon for the first time in more than three years as tight supply pushed the price of U.S. crude above $101 a barrel.
Military Escalation and Expansion Fears
Attacks by both sides continue with no signs of abating, while fears of a generalized conflict are growing.
Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have joined the conflict by firing missiles and drones at Israel, while Turkey said a ballistic missile from Iran had entered its airspace before being shot down by NATO systems.
Israel launched attacks on military infrastructure in Tehran and Hezbollah facilities in Beirut, while explosions were reported in parts of the Iranian capital, causing power outages.
At the same time, the Israeli army announced the death of four soldiers in southern Lebanon, while UN peacekeepers had also been killed in the previous days.
Tehran said US military bases in the region were also targets of the latest attacks.
At the same time, thousands of troops from the US 82nd Airborne Division have begun arriving in the Middle East, bolstering Washington’s military options, including for a possible ground operation.
Diplomacy and Trump’s new threat
White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said Trump is seeking a deal with Iran by April 6.
Iran announced that it had received peace proposals through mediators, which it called “unrealistic and excessive”.
Shortly after, Trump said the US was making progress in the talks, but warned that if there was no deal and the Straits were not opened, the US would destroy Iran’s energy facilities, oil wells and critical infrastructure.
At the same time, according to reports, he appears willing to end the military campaign even if the Straits remain closed, which temporarily calmed the markets.
