The conflict between the United States and Iran escalated sharply on Thursday after Washington struck an oil tanker near Iran's main export terminal at Kharg Island for the first time since reimposing a blockade on the country's ports, signalling a broader military campaign that now extends beyond conventional military targets.
The attack, deep inside the Persian Gulf, came as the US intensified pressure on Tehran over its continued restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global energy chokepoint through which nearly a fifth of the world's oil passes.
