Kathmandu— U.S. forces struck three Iranian oil tankers after Navy warships were targeted with ballistic missiles, according to the American military. The strikes, which occurred a day after U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed the conflict, are part of a new tilt toward fighting after six months of intermittent warfare. Both sides have sought to inflict military and economic pain, and negotiations have collapsed.

Iranian Response

A spokesperson with Iran’s joint military command later warned that strikes against U.S. military ships would be more severe if the U.S. continues to interfere with Iranian shipping, the state broadcaster reported. Iran had reported a strike near Kharg Island, and earlier, Iranian state television had said that four U.S. missiles struck a tanker about 6 miles from Kharg Island. The U.S. said that one tanker was struck off Kharg Island and another was struck near Jask, east of the Strait of Hormuz. The unladen tanker was hit in the Gulf of Oman, and the U.S. said its crew had been 'directed to abandon ship.' The statement shared what it called video footage of the strikes.

Human Impact

The conflict has had a direct impact on civilians. Masoumeh Zarei, 13, was wounded in the attack. She spoke to The Associated Press at a hospital while being treated for injuries to her abdomen. She said the wedding celebration had already begun when she set out to join it. She never made it there. She was knocked unconscious when a telecommunications tower was struck. Her next memory was of waking up in a hospital. 'The party had just started, and we wanted to go there,' Zarei said, her voice hoarse. 'I had made my nails really pretty for the party, but everything changed.' Her friend, 14-year-old Kiana Karimi, also was wounded and in intensive care. She told the AP that she heard five explosions. 'The first three explosions at the telecommunications tower threw us to the ground,' Karimi said. 'I quickly got up to pick my brothers up off the ground. Then there were two more explosions, and after that I don’t remember anything.'

Economic and Diplomatic Tensions

Between the war and the disabling of ships during the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, it’s not immediately clear how many Iranian oil tankers have been targeted. On May 8, the U.S. military said it fired 'precision munitions' into the smokestacks of two Iranian oil tankers, both unladen. The U.S. had tried to turn to economic pressure, with Vice President JD Vance on Thursday saying there was no prospect for renewed talks as long as Iran goes after ships, while noting that major military operations ended in July. But Tehran’s hard-line new senior leaders have signaled the willingness to dig in after weathering decades of sanctions. The elected government of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, however, has said that it favors a negotiated end to the war. Iran has found ways over the years to circumvent sanctions and get its oil to buyers to help ease growing economic pressures. That relies in part on a shadow fleet transporting its oil. Meanwhile, the issue that helped lead to the war — Iran’s nuclear program — was meant to be addressed in negotiations that fell apart soon after the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June. Now diplomats say the U.S., Britain, France and Germany seek to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council for failure to comply with its nuclear nonproliferation obligations.

The strikes have raised concerns about the potential for further escalation and the impact on regional stability. The U.S. and Iran continue to engage in a complex mix of military and economic pressures, with no clear path to de-escalation.

(With inputs from AP)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.