A U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King II refuels several A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft. Aerial refueling allows aircraft to operate for extended periods. [Excerpt from CENTCOM X]Following Iran's attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday and Tuesday, the United States revoked the licenses that had permitted the sale of Iranian oil. Subsequently, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Tuesday (the 7th) that, in response to Iran's attacks on international merchant vessels, the U.S. military had launched a series of "precision strikes" against Iranian targets.

These events unfolded while President Trump was in Ankara, Turkey, to attend a NATO summit.

CENTCOM stated, "We have initiated a series of precision strikes to deliver a strong message in response to Iran’s targeting and attacking of merchant vessels carrying innocent civilian crews in international waters," adding that "these strikes are in response to Iran’s attacks on three merchant vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz."

CENTCOM further noted, "Iran’s recent aggressive actions are unjustified, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement."

Prior to these strikes, the U.S. Department of the Treasury had approved a 60-day sanctions waiver on Iranian oil last month as part of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at ending conflicts in the Middle East.

The MOU signed between the U.S. and Iran last month included a commitment from both sides to "negotiate and achieve a final agreement within a maximum of 60 days, with the possibility of extending the period by mutual consent."

According to Fox News, a U.S. official confirmed that Iran attacked three merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz between Monday and Tuesday, reigniting tensions after President Donald Trump had stated that the U.S. would grant Tehran a "one-week break" during the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

A U.S. official told Fox News, "As President Trump and the administration have repeatedly emphasized, the MOU signed with Iran is entirely performance-based. Iran will only receive benefits if it demonstrates exemplary behavior," confirming that the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) would rescind the sanctions waivers for Iran.

The New York Post also cited a U.S. official who confirmed that Iran's recent aggressive behavior was "absolutely unacceptable."

The anonymous official added, "Iran will only benefit if it acts as a responsible actor. The behavior Iran has displayed in the strait is something the United States will never tolerate, and there will be consequences."

On Tuesday (the 7th), the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced that an oil tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz had been struck by an unidentified projectile. This followed attacks on two other vessels on Monday (the 6th).

A U.S. official confirmed that one of the ships attacked on Monday was the *Al Rekayyat*, a Qatari-owned liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker. Iran also acknowledged the attacks; state media claimed the tanker had ignored "repeated warnings" and continued to sail through the shipping lanes south of the strait near Oman, allegedly with U.S. support.

NNP U.S. Representative Reporter Sung Ku Hong / NNP Special Correspondent info@newsandpost.com