ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday that its forces struck and disabled three Iranian crude oil tankers after Iran launched ballistic missiles toward two US Navy warships operating in regional waters amid the renewed hostilities between Washington and Tehran.
In a statement, CENTCOM said a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer evaded multiple attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and that no American personnel were injured.
In response to the IRGC attacks, CENTCOM said the US forces "permanently disabled" the M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and the M/T Stark 1 near Jask, while completely destroying the unladen M/T Kylo, also known as the “Noxen,” in the Gulf of Oman.
The latest strikes follow the resumption of direct US-Iran fighting after a month-long calm. US forces on Sunday struck Iranian military targets on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, saying they had targeted rocket launchers and equipment intended to deploy sea mines. Iran subsequently launched attacks against US positions and Washington’s regional allies.
The Saturday strikes came after Iranian media reported several explosions near Kharg Island, Iran’s main crude oil export terminal and a strategically important part of its energy infrastructure.
The Student News Network (SNN), citing local sources, reported that an Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island “was targeted by the US,” although it provided no further details. Fars news agency separately reported hearing several explosions in the Persian Gulf near the island, saying its correspondent could see no smoke or fire and that there had been no official explanation for the blasts.
Kharg Island, located off Iran’s southwestern Bushehr province, handles a major share of the country’s crude oil exports. Any confirmed attack on oil infrastructure or tankers in its vicinity would represent a significant escalation given the island’s importance to Iran’s economy.
The US military said the three tankers were part of a “multibillion-dollar shadow network” that generates funding for the IRGC and its regional proxies, adding that Iran has no means to defend the vessels.
“Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost —taking out three of yours,” CENTCOM cited its commander Admiral Brad Cooper as saying.
“We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet,” Cooper added.
Since the renewed escalation between Washington and Tehran, US President Donald Trump has threatened further military action against Iran. On Friday, he said Washington was closely monitoring developments in the country.
Earlier in the week, Trump also posted an AI-generated video purporting to show Kharg Island being destroyed, despite no evidence at the time that the island had been attacked. Iran’s state oil company said operations at the island had not been halted.
