U.S. strikes Iran tankers under new "tanker for tanker" policy

The U.S. military attacked two Iranian government tankers as part of the round of strikes that took place on Tuesday, U.S. officials said.

Why it matters: This is the first time the U.S. military has struck Iranian tankers in retaliation for Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz — rather than to prevent them from violating the naval blockade.

• A U.S. official said the move was part of a new "tanker for tanker" policy approved by President Trump to further deter Iranian attacks on tankers that move through the strait.

Driving the news: U.S. officials said around 100 targets were attacked during Tuesday's strikes.

• The Iranian government tankers were anchored off Iran's coast north of the U.S. naval blockade line. U.S. drones launched missiles that hit their engine rooms.
• Among the targets were Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) air defense sites, radar systems, mine-laying capabilities, communications sites, anti-ship cruise missile launchers and attack drone launchers, U.S. officials said.
• They said Iran's retaliation failed. It fired around 25 ballistic missiles, but only half reached Jordanian airspace. Ten were intercepted and three landed without causing any casualties.
• Iran launched two dozen drones at U.S. bases in Bahrain, but most were intercepted, a U.S. official said.
• It also fired ballistic missiles and drones at U.S. bases in Kuwait. And two drones were launched at a U.S. base in Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq but were intercepted.

The big picture: The White House and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes were in response to the IRGC's recent attempted attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz as well as on American bases in the region.

• But the attacks were also part of a plan Trump and his senior aides have been considering in recent days to prevent Iran from rebuilding the radar and missile capabilities it needs to attack ships crossing the strait. Axios reported the plan on Monday.
• One U.S. official said the idea is to reduce the risk of Iranian attacks on oil tankers, U.S. Navy ships and Air Force aircraft — to "mow the lawn," as this person put it.
• A U.S. official told Axios on Tuesday that the new strikes degraded Iran's attack capabilities in the strait and "bought at least a month" of lowered threat levels for commercial ships.

State of play: As the U.S. and Iran exchanged fire, American forces continued guiding ships through the strait.

• A U.S. official said around 40 ships transited in and out on Tuesday, carrying millions of barrels of oil.
• The person said U.S. forces intercepted several anti-ship cruise missiles and drones that the IRGC fired toward the ships, none of which were hit.

Friction point: The two sides also clashed over an Iranian report of civilian casualties.

• Iranian media reported that one U.S. strike hit a wedding ceremony in the town of Kuhestak, killing at least four people and wounding at least 35.
• CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins responded: "We're aware of the reports, which originated from Iranian state media. The U.S. military never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC."

What they're saying: "The Iranians have not only lost control of the Strait of Hormuz, they have also lost control over the conflict. They got nothing today," a U.S. official said.