U.S. destroys Iranian oil tankers, Tehran retaliates with missile attacks on Jordan The U.S. military has intensified its campaign against Iranian oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, destroying five vessels in response to recent attacks on American warships. Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles at U.S. targets in Jordan, which were intercepted by the Jordanian military. This marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two nations. The U.S. military said it destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday in response to recent attacks on its warships, and Tehran says it hit back at American targets in Jordan, in the latest burst of back-and-forth strikes in a more than six-month-old war. The Associated Press estimated the exchange lasted about four minutes. Following the latest American strikes, Iran launched missiles toward U.S. targets in Jordan, Iranian state-run media said. Jordan's military said its air defense systems intercepted 18 ballistic missiles launched toward its territory, and two others fell in places where no one lives. It said it has no reports of casualties.Jordan is a staunch U.S. ally that hosts American forces, making the kingdom's military bases a target of repeat Iranian strikes. U.S. Central Command said it had no information to offer. The latest strikes are part of a dual economic and military approach by U.S. President Donald Trump as he struggles to bring an end to the war.The Trump administration on Tuesday also imposed sanctions on additional elements of Iran's aviation industry, targeting more than two dozen commercial and private airlines as well as foreign cargo service providers, in its new push to isolate Tehran from its remaining trading partners. Both the U.S. and Iran are seeking to exert control over the Strait of Hormuz, where about one-fifth of the world's oil passed before the war began on Feb. 28.Rising energy prices are posing political problems for Trump and his Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections. A barrel of international standard Brent crude briefly climbed as high as $99.46 US on Tuesday. The U.S. forces also destroyed three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) tried to attack a U.S. aircraft carrier and destroyer with ballistic missiles, warning that it would, 'if necessary, destroy Iran's limited and exposed oil fleet.' Iran later said it planned to announce a new 'exclusion zone' near the Strait of Hormuz aimed at vessels intending to transit. Day of attacks by U.S. and Iran marks most serious escalation of conflict in weeks 'Iran continues to try to hit U.S. 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,' Rubio told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the latest attacks in Iran while on a trip to Colombia. Danny Citrinowicz, an Iran expert at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, warned that such back-and-forth strikes can only risk more retaliation and further impact the global economy.'There is no kinetic solution to the Strait of Hormuz problem,' he said on social media. 'Every attempt to impose one only brings Washington and Tehran closer to an escalation that may become increasingly difficult to control. ' Iran targets American bases after accusing U.S. of deadly strike on wedding Iran targeted multiple U.S. bases across the Persian Gulf on Wednesday after accusing the U.S. of launching a strike that killed four people at a wedding in southern Iran.U.S. Central Command told CBC News it's investigating the claims. U.S. Central Command said the Iranian tankers destroyed on Tuesday were the Kivik, Charminar, Horizon 1, and the Riesco in the Gulf of Oman. The U.S. military also destroyed the vessel Derya, which was located near Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz. The statement said the crews of the five vessels were told to abandon ship before the attacks.Iranian state television also reported the U.S. strikes, saying U.S. forces attacked Iranian oil tankers near the southern port of Jask and near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf. It said the crews were evacuated. An Iranian state TV reporter in Jask said an Iranian tanker was struck near the coast of Yekbeni. State TV later reported that the U.S. military attacked a second tanker near waters off Jask.Separately, state television reported that another Iranian tanker was attacked in the Kharg Island anchorage area. Iran's IRGC navy on Tuesday had warned crews of oil tankers near ports in Kuwait and Bahrain to immediately leave their vessels, saying the ships could be targeted in retaliation for U.S. attacks on Iranian tankers