US-Iran tensions escalate: Washington destroys five oil tankers, Jordan intercepts ballistic missiles

Day 193: IRGC Navy warns tanker crews near Kuwait, Bahrain

Day 192: Iran says talks with Oman on Hormuz Strait reach final stage

Day 191: Iran to declare 'prohibited zone' near Hormuz Strait

Day 190: Iran military vows 'more severe' reprisals if US attacks continue

Day 189: US insists Iran conflict is not a war while economic blockade tightens

Day 188: Trump boasts ‘unlimited’ US ammo, warns of more strikes

Day 187: US strikes on Iran would not continue 'too long': Trump

Iranian local media reported on Tuesday that several blasts were heard on Iran's Kharg Island, which is located in the Gulf and is from where the majority of country's oil is exported.

"The sound of several explosions was heard in parts of Kharg Island a few minutes ago," Mehr news agency said, without elaborating.

The US has sanctioned all 27 of Iran’s remaining airlines, escalating a campaign to cut Tehran off from international finance, aviation and trade as the war and economic confrontation enter a critical phase.

The Treasury Department announced that it was sanctioning 36 targets tied to Iran’s aviation sector under "Operation Economic Outcast", including 27 Iranian airlines and companies and intermediaries in several countries.

The measures target what US officials describe as networks used by Iran to move weapons, personnel and illicit cargo, as well as intermediaries that help Iranian airlines obtain US-origin aircraft, spare parts and sensitive aviation technology.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned companies doing business with the sanctioned airlines that they risk being cut off from the US financial system.

The US military has destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers early on Wednesday (September 9).

The attacks on Iranian tankers are in response to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeting a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the past two days, according to the US Central Command.

"The US warship successfully evaded the attempted Iranian attacks and continued to patrol regional waters. No American personnel were harmed."

Separately, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran continues to try to hit US naval ships, and "every time they try to do that, they're going to lose crude oil tankers".

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy has issued an "immediate warning" to tanker crews in the vicinity of ports and harbours in Kuwait and Bahrain, according to Iran-linked PressTV.

In a statement early on Wednesday, the IRGC Navy said the warning was issued in response to the “hostile actions” of the US military in targeting several oil tankers belonging to the Islamic Republic.

Oil prices rose sharply early Wednesday (Sept. 9, 2026) as renewed US-Iran hostilities threatened to widen across the Gulf and disrupt tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. As of 8:28 am Tokyo, the market board showed: WTI crude at $94.33, up 1.40%, Brent crude at $97.92, or 0.95% higher, while Murban spiked 3.75% to $110.80, a $4.00 jump.

The latest prices put Brent near the six-week high reached in the previous session.

The immediate trigger for the latest risk premium was the US military’s reported destruction of five Iranian crude carriers.

Britain has announced sweeping new measures targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing settlers of driving Palestinians from their homes and warning that settlement expansion is threatening the possibility of a Palestinian state. Israel responded by announcing the closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem, sharply escalating tensions between the two allies.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said settler violence and settlement expansion had reached an unacceptable level. In remarks to Parliament, he accused extremist settlers of using violence to displace Palestinians and described the situation as part of a broader threat to the viability of a two-state solution.

Britain has particularly objected to Israel's planned expansion of the E1 settlement project, which the British government says could sever the territorial connection between the West Bank and East Jerusalem. London has described the project as a serious threat to the possibility of establishing a viable Palestinian state.

Israel responded swiftly: Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel would close Britain's consulate in East Jerusalem, which serves as the UK's diplomatic mission dealing with the Palestinian territories.

Jordan Armed Forces (JAF) – Arab Army announced that the kingdom came under a missile attack from Iranian territory over the past few hours. Petra News Agency quoted the spokesperson of the Jordan Armed Forces as saying that Jordanian air defence systems engaged 20 ballistic missiles fired toward Jordanian territory, successfully intercepting and destroying 18 of them.

Two missiles fell in unpopulated areas. Field assessments confirmed that no casualties were recorded as a result of the attack, the spokesperson added, emphasising that the armed forces addressed the threat in accordance with established operational procedures to protect the kingdom's airspace and ensure public safety. Continuous monitoring, tracking, and evaluation remain underway.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday they attacked two US vessels, eight oil tankers and 10 "non-compliant vessels" trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported.

"Two US vessels, eight oil tankers, and 10 non-compliant vessels attempting to pass through the prohibited and unsafe zone of the Strait of Hormuz were targeted," the Guards said in a statement published by the official IRNA.

Qatar's Ministry of Interior confirmed that Civil Defence teams brought under control a fire on a marine vessel at Al Wakra Port, with no injuries reported.

US Central Command confirmed that the tanker M/T Riesco sank in the Gulf of Oman on September 8, after being destroyed by CENTCOM forces in response to attempted IRGC attacks on a US Navy warship.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis reported more than 30 Saudi strikes on several regions on Wednesday, a day after the rebels launched major attacks on their neighbour, injuring dozens.

"Saudi aircraft launched 32 airstrikes on various areas across the governorates of Marib, Al-Jawf, Taiz and Hodeida over the past few hours," the rebels' Almasirah television said.

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 war.

Tehran's powerful Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday 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 war, 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 Wednesday they pummelled a US military base in Jordan in response to US forces destroying five Iranian oil tankers the day before.

The Kingdom of Bahrain has strongly condemned the continued Iranian attacks on the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, including the launch of a number of ballistic missiles, in blatant violation of international law, the Charter of the United Nations, and UN Security Council Resolution 2817, and as a serious threat to regional security and stability.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed the Kingdom of Bahrain’s full solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and its support for all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty, security and stability, and the safety of its citizens and residents. It commended the vigilance of the Jordanian Armed Forces’ air defence system, which successfully intercepted the missiles and thwarted the attacks.

The Ministry renewed its call on the UN Security Council to uphold its responsibilities and take firm action to compel Iran to cease its aggressive actions against the countries of the region, contributing to de-escalation, reducing tensions, and safeguarding regional security and peace.

The price of Brent North Sea oil, the international benchmark, topped $100 a barrel on Wednesday for the first time since the end of July, as fresh flare-ups in the Middle East war stoked supply concerns.

Brent jumped more than two percent to $100.19 a barrel, adding to worries about high inflation, before pulling back slightly to $99.90.

UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in an advisory issued on September 9 that it received a report, dated September 8, involving several merchant vessels in the Northern Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, which were subject to disabling fire as part of ongoing military activity in the region; UKMTO said it cannot yet confirm any casualties or environmental impact, adding that authorities are aware, investigations are ongoing, and mariners have been advised to stay updated on the latest maritime security information.

Claim: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed its forces struck two US Navy destroyers operating in the Middle East. US Central Command called the claim "completely false."

Fact: CENTCOM said no US Navy warship has been struck, and all attempted IRGC attacks have failed. It added that US forces have destroyed 10 Iranian tankers in the past week, describing them as part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network funding the IRGC.

Qatar strongly condemned Iran's renewed attacks against Jordan, calling them a flagrant violation of the kingdom's sovereignty and a breach of international law and the UN Charter, according to a statement from its Ministry of Foreign Affairs carried by QNA. The Ministry said the continuing attacks represent a dangerous escalation that undermines regional stability, holding Iran legally responsible for their consequences. It reaffirmed Qatar's full solidarity with Jordan and called for an immediate, comprehensive halt to all military operations, urging a return to dialogue and diplomatic understandings.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of an incident involving a tanker about 28 nautical miles south-east of Al Faw, Iraq.

The vessel's master reported that the tanker was struck by an unknown projectile. The crew are reported safe, with no environmental impact reported at this time.

UKMTO advised vessels operating in the area to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity while authorities investigate the incident.

Iran's foreign ministry on Wednesday strongly condemned US strikes on its oil tankers, describing the attacks the previous day as a threat to regional security.

"The aggressive actions by the United States against Iranian commercial vessels not only increase the dangers of tensions in the region but are also considered an overt threat to regional and international peace and security," the ministry said in a statement, adding that Iranian forces had targeted US military facilities in the region in "self-defence".

Iran's Guards said on Wednesday that a new "prohibited zone" outside the Strait of Hormuz would cover parts of the Gulf of Oman and beyond, adding they would announce the exact coordinates later.

"It approximately starts from the direction of Chabahar, covering part of the Sea of Oman and another part of the Arabian Sea... If a vessel enters that area without coordination, it will be subject to our sanctions," Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebi told state television.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that the war with the United States could end if Washington stopped threatening the Islamic republic and met Tehran's conditions, including regarding its nuclear programme.

"If the enemy wants an end to this situation, it must, while completely stopping the war, refrain from renewed threats, withdraw the Israeli regime's army from Lebanon, end the blockade of Yemen, release $24 billion in Iran's frozen assets and refrain from any interference in the country's nuclear and missile capabilities," IRGC Spokesman Hossein Mohebi said, according to the Fars news agency.

Lebanon's army on Wednesday accused Israel of a deadly escalation in the country's south in recent days that threatened a framework deal between the countries and the military's efforts to implement it.

The army said in a statement that continued Israeli attacks in recent days "threaten existing understandings and arrangements, and hinder the army's efforts to establish stability" in the region.

The IAEA board of governors on Wednesday voted to refer Iran to the UN Security Council over its nuclear "non-compliance" in a diplomatic move to pile pressure on the Islamic republic, two diplomats told AFP.

The resolution seen by AFP was adopted by 23 votes in favour, three votes against and eight abstentions, they said. Russia, China and Niger voted against it.

The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms the hostile Iranian attack targeting the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan with missiles.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) affirmed that this hostile attack constitutes a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and a threat to its security and stability.

The Ministry reiterated the UAE’s full solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and its support for all measures aimed at safeguarding their security and stability.

Iran's state television reported on Wednesday that an explosion was heard in the south of the country near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

"A few minutes ago, an explosion was heard from the Strait of Hormuz. The nature of the incident or its origin has not yet been announced," the state broadcaster said.

Iran condemned on Wednesday a resolution adopted by the United Nations atomic watchdog's board of governors which referred the Islamic republic to the UN Security Council over its nuclear "non-compliance".

"This resolution was passed under political pressure from the US and its allies and in our view has no basis and will not bring any results," Iran's representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Reza Najafi, told state television.

An Israeli strike killed one person in Lebanon's south, the Lebanese state news agency said on Wednesday, as intensified attacks prompted a sharp condemnation from the Lebanese army.

An Israeli drone targeted a motorcycle in Zebdine in the Nabatieh region, killing a man, Lebanon's National News Agency said.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia welcome the decision of the Government of the United Kingdom to ban the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to introduce restrictions on services linked to such settlements, and express the hope that this decision will help mobilize the international community to take similar actions in line with international law and hold accountable settlement organizations and individuals engaged in illegal settlement activities.

The Ministers also welcome the Joint Statement on the Two-State Solution issued by the Foreign Ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, confirming their intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements that are illegal under international law, or to actively consider these and other measures in accordance with their respective national procedures.

They encourage the international community to build on these steps and adopt concrete measures to bring an end to activities that support or sustain illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The Ministers consider the announced intentions to be in line with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, including United Nations Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice of 19 July 2024, including the obligation of all States not to recognise as legal the situation arising from Israel’s unlawful occupation and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s occupation. In this regard, they reiterate their call for Israel to rescind all measures taken in connection with settlement activities and other measures aimed at altering the geographic and demographic character of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The Ministers underscore that Gaza is an integral part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and call for the full and immediate implementation of President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, to ensure security and stability, address the humanitarian situation, facilitate reconstruction and recovery, and lay the foundations for lasting peace.

The Ministers underscore that the only viable path to achieving a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace is the implementation of the two-State solution, through the realisation of an independent, sovereign, contiguous, and viable Palestinian State, based on the 4 June 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions.

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen on Wednesday said the Iran-backed Houthis had launched fresh attacks on the kingdom's south, after the rebels launched an offensive seeking to control the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The coalition's spokesman Turki al-Maliki said in a statement the Houthis had "launched several ballistic missiles and drones toward the cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Jizan", without mentioning any casualties as a result of the attacks.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that oil prices that have surged because of the Iran war likely won't come down until after US midterm elections.

Oil prices jumped more than 3% today, pushing international Brent crude past the $100 threshold for the first time since July as salvos between the U.S. and Iran escalated.

Trump, in an exchange with reporters before traveling to Dallas for the midterm Republican convention, added that he believes Iran will finally relent after the pivotal elections are held in the U.S.

"I think the war's going to end immediately after the election because they can't hold out any longer," Trump said.

The president at the outset of the war said it would last a matter of weeks. The war is now in its seventh month.

Satellite imagery has revealed a significant increase in construction activity at Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply buried Iranian facility near Natanz that has attracted growing attention from US and Israeli intelligence officials.

A new analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) examined six years of satellite imagery and found that construction activity in 2026 is higher than at any previous point observed at the site, CNN reported.

The work includes:

• reinforcement of underground access points;

• paving and expansion of internal roads;

• hardening around entrances;

• removal of excavated material;

• continued work on the underground complex.

CSIS said the imagery cannot confirm an Israeli intelligence claim that Iran moved uranium centrifuges and centrifuge components into the facility.

The analysts also said the site does not currently appear to be operating as an enrichment facility, based on the absence of certain observable activity.

The location is strategically important. Pickaxe Mountain is a heavily buried granite facility close to Iran's Natanz nuclear complex. Its depth and geology could make it extremely difficult to destroy with conventional weapons.

The development comes at an especially sensitive moment. The International Atomic Energy Agency's board on Wednesday voted to report Iran to the UN Security Council over its failure to provide sufficient cooperation and access relating to its nuclear programme. The resolution passed 23-3, with Russia and China opposing it.

Brent crude settled above $100 a barrel Wednesday for the first time since late May after the US and Iran carried out their largest reciprocal wave of attacks on oil tankers and commercial vessels since their six-month conflict began.

Front-month Brent settled up $3.29, or 3.4%, at $101.21 a barrel, after climbing as high as $101.58. US West Texas Intermediate crude rose $3.02, or 3.3%, to settle at $96.45 a barrel.

Both benchmarks posted their highest settlements since May 22.

Murban crude was up 4.95% to $116.3, a $5.48 jump per barrel.

The price rally reflects a fundamental reassessment by traders of how long the conflict will restrict crude flows from the Middle East, rather than a brief reaction to a single disruption, analysts said.

The move towards and back above $100 Brent reflects a market that increasingly has to change its view on how long the Middle East crisis will continue to curb supply from the region, Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, told OilPrice.com.

Former Iranian presidents Hassan Rouhani and Mohammad Khatami have called for an “honourable” end to Iran’s war with the US, opening a sharper political dispute over whether public opinion should influence decisions about continued confrontation.

Rouhani went further than Khatami by arguing that Iranian leaders should consider whether the public accepts the costs of a prolonged conflict.

His remarks have drawn criticism from hardline figures, who say questions of national defense cannot be put to a popular test while Iran is under attack, as per the UK-based International.

“Tell them that our plan is to fight the great powers of the world for another 20 years,” Rouhani said at a meeting with former officials.

“If the people say they accept this, very well, let us continue. But if the people do not accept it and show us another way, do we not want to accept it?”

Rouhani said Iran should follow the view of an “overwhelming majority” of its people and end the war “with honour” so it can rebuild the country, repair war damage and offer greater hope for young people and investors.

His proposal has been widely interpreted as support for some form of public consultation, potentially including a referendum, on whether to continue the conflict.

Hardliners in Iran including Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of Kayhan newspaper, accused former presidents Hassan Rouhani and Mohammad Khatami of redefining a war of national defence as a matter of political preference.

Shariatmadari said their calls for an honorable peace amounted to “dishonorable and humiliating surrender” that would hand the US and Israel an outcome they had not achieved through military pressure.

Shariatmadari urged Iran’s judicial and security authorities to investigate the former presidents’ statements.

His response illustrates the political sensitivity of advocating compromise during wartime in a system where the country’s senior leadership and security establishment retain decisive authority over foreign and defence policy.

Khatami, a reformist former president, has argued that Iran must protect its national interests and future. Rouhani’s invocation of the public’s will, however, has moved the argument into more contentious constitutional territory by raising whether citizens should directly influence the decision to keep fighting.

The Pentagon is examining how US forces could strike and destroy Iran’s deepest underground nuclear facilities, as satellite imagery shows construction accelerating at a suspected site beneath Pickaxe Mountain near the Natanz nuclear complex.

The planning and reported testing effort is tied to the Iran conflict and focuses on the problem of attacking facilities built far beneath rock and specifically designed to survive conventional airstrikes, according to three people familiar with the matter cited by CNN.

The US maintains operational plans for a potential strike on the mountain complex, but it remains unclear whether existing weapons such as the so-called "bunker busters" could penetrate deeply enough to destroy any nuclear-related assets inside.

A new analysis by the CSIS found that construction activity at Pickaxe Mountain in 2026 has been greater than at any point in the site’s documented history.

The project appears to have shifted from major excavation to probable internal construction and external reinforcement, CSIS said.

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