Trending 
US forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday after Tehran launched ballistic missiles at an American warship twice in two days.
US Central Command confirmed that its forces instructed crews to abandon ship before rendering the vessels inoperable in regional waters.
The US Navy warship successfully evaded the incoming Iranian missiles and continued its patrol, marking the second time in less than a week that Washington has targeted Iranian tankers following failed attacks on American military vessels.
In response to the strikes, Tehran vowed swift retaliation against maritime infrastructure in neighbouring countries.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued an immediate warning instructing crews to evacuate oil tankers docked or anchored off US-allied Kuwait and Bahrain.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed that Washington will continue striking Iranian crude carriers every time Tehran attempts to target American naval ships.
Separately, US Central Command addressed Iranian claims regarding the capture of an American unmanned submarine in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
US officials clarified that an older-model underwater drone malfunctioned during routine surveying operations over a day prior.
While the Revolutionary Guards claimed to have seized a modern, smart submarine in a complex intelligence operation, US military spokespersons emphasised that the defective drone carried no classified radar or sensitive data.
