The US military fired on an Iranian-flagged oil tanker on Wednesday, shortly after Donald Trump issued a fresh ultimatum to Tehran, telling it to accept a deal to end the war or face a new wave of US bombing “at a much higher level and intensity than it was before”.
US Central Command said a US fighter fired several rounds and “disabled the tanker’s rudder” as it attempted to breach the US blockade of Iranian ports. The attack came after the US president’s social media announcement, the latest in a rapid series of dramatic policy changes amid unconfirmed reports of progress in stalled negotiations.
“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is perhaps a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end,” Trump posted on Truth Social, referring to the military operation launched with Israel against Iran in February. “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”
