ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iran on Wednesday condemned the United States for attacking Iranian oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, coming after the US military announced that it destroyed five vessels in retaliation to Iranian targeting of naval warships.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday said that its forces "destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers" after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a US Navy vessel with ballistic missiles "twice over the past two days."

The command on Wednesday denied Iranian claims that the latter strikes were successful, insisting that "no US Navy warship has been struck" while asserting that it has destroyed ten Iranian tankers in the past week.

"These vessels were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC, and Iran cannot defend them," CENTCOM said.

In a statement, Iran's foriegn ministry responded by "strongly" condemning the attacks, dubbing them "a dangerous escalation of tensions in the region" and "a clear threat to regional and international peace and security."

"In response to the US's aggressive actions against Iranian oil tankers, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in accordance with their inherent right of legitimate defense, attacked US military bases and facilities located in Jordan, which continue to support US military attacks against Iran, as well as several US aggressor vessels."

Jordan, which has emerged as a key target for Iran on account of the US military presence in the country, was targeted with ballistic missile strikes overnight into Wednesday, with Amman announcing that 18 of 20 incoming projectiles were intercepted by air defense systems.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran, emphasizing its firm determination to defend Iran's sovereignty and national interests against the aggressive actions of the United States, emphasizes that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to exercise the inherent right of self-defense and will respond decisively to any military aggression by the enemy in an appropriate manner."

Washington has long sought to stymy Iranian oil exports that defy US-imposed sanctions on Tehran. In August, the US Treasury announced the commencement of 'Operation Economic Outcast,' which seeks to clamp down on third parties trading with Iran and facilitating its shadow economy.