Latest US strikes target Iranian mine capability and signal ‘tanker-for-tanker’ policy
- US strikes targeted Iranian mine-laying capabilities and reportedly disabled two Iranian state-owned tankers
- Axios reported Trump approved a new ‘tanker-for-tanker’ policy in response to attacks on commercial shipping
- Escalation follows attacks on two VLCCs in the Strait of Hormuz, and renewed exchanges between Washington and Tehran
US strikes on Iranian mine-laying assets and two reported government tankers have signalled a potentially significant escalation in maritime deterrence, as Washington appears to adopting a new ‘tanker-for-tanker’ response to attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz
