US strikes 3 Iranian tankers for IRGC targeting US troops; Iran vows 'more painful response'

U.S. forces struck three Iranian oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday after President Trump authorized a response to what the Pentagon described as IRGC attempts to target U.S. ships and troops. CENTCOM said at least one vessel sank, and the operation was framed as a direct answer to Iranian moves against American forces in the waterway.

Iran reacted within hours, with officials vowing a "faster, heavier and more painful" response to the strikes. The exchange sharply raises the odds of open conflict over the strait, the narrow passage that carries a large share of the world's oil traffic. Oil prices and gas costs climbed as traders priced in a wider war.

The strikes mark one of the most direct U.S.-Iran military exchanges since the escalation over the Strait of Hormuz began. The coming days will show whether Iran follows through on its threat, whether Washington sees the tanker strikes as a closing move or a first step, and how far global energy prices move while the waterway stays contested.