Iran launched fresh attacks against US targets in West Asia on Wednesday (September 9, 2026), in retaliation for American strikes on Iranian oil tankers, escalating the conflict between the two countries.

Tehran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday that it had targeted 20 US vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil and gas supplies that has remained largely under Iran’s control since the war began.

According to the IRGC, the latest wave of attacks targeted two US vessels, eight oil tankers and 10 other ships attempting to pass through a prohibited zone in the Strait of Hormuz.

The attacks came a day after US forces struck five Iranian oil tankers, sinking one, in response to what the US military said were two Iranian attacks on an American warship.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said four Iranian oil tankers linked to the IRGC were targeted in the Gulf of Oman, while another was struck near Kharg Island, a major Iranian oil terminal.

The tit-for-tat strikes between the two countries have intensified over the past week, more than six months after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28.

Oil prices approach $100

Meanwhile, oil prices climbed to nearly $100 a barrel in Asian morning trading as the latest escalation raised concerns about further disruption to crude supplies from the oil-rich West Asian region.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose to $99.46 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the main US crude benchmark, stood at $94.45 a barrel.

The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global energy corridor, with any prolonged disruption to shipping through the waterway potentially affecting oil and gas supplies and pushing prices higher.