The United States military announced on Saturday that its forces successfully disabled three Iranian crude oil tankers in retaliation for a ballistic missile attack launched by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against two US Navy warships. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer managed to evade multiple unprovoked strikes from Iranian forces.
In response to the aggression, American forces targeted and permanently disabled two IRGC-linked crude oil carriers: the M/T Downy, located off the coast of Kharg Island, and the M/T Stark 1, positioned near Jask. A third vessel, an unladen crude tanker identified as the M/T Kylo, was reported as completely destroyed after sustaining multiple hits outside the Persian Gulf. CENTCOM officials stated that these vessels are integral components of a multibillion-dollar shadow network used to finance the IRGC and its regional proxies.
CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper issued a stern warning regarding the escalation, stating that the US intends to impose a higher economic cost on the IRGC by targeting their assets. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed this sentiment on social media, emphasizing that the Iranian tanker fleet is defenseless and that the US is prepared to strike these assets in the Middle East or the Indo-Pacific if Iranian provocations against US Navy vessels continue.
Audio recordings verified by investigators reveal the intensity of the engagement, with US military aircraft issuing emergency warnings to the crew of the M/T Stark 1. One transmission warned, “Motor Tanker STARK 1, this is the United States military aircraft. I am preparing to fire at your stern. You have 10 minutes to clear the crew from the stern of your ship.” A subsequent warning instructed the crew to abandon the vessel immediately.
The Iranian government has vehemently condemned the strikes, with the foreign affairs ministry labeling the US actions as illegal, aggressive, and a direct threat to international maritime security. The ministry further asserted that the attacks violated the UN Charter. Additionally, Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf warned that any further aggression against Iranian interests would be met with a faster and more painful response.
While the IRGC claimed on Saturday to have damaged three US vessels, no evidence of significant Iranian retaliation had surfaced by Sunday morning. The conflict remains in a volatile state as both nations vie for control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies. Kharg Island, which typically handles approximately 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, currently holds nearly 20 tankers at anchor, unable to depart due to the ongoing US naval blockade. Shipping data indicates that more than 50 Iranian tankers are currently positioned within the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Despite the intensifying maritime conflict, US Vice President JD Vance stated on Thursday that the situation should not be classified as a war, noting there was no active shooting at that time. He declined to provide a timeline for a resolution, suggesting that the responsibility for ending the hostilities—which began six months ago following joint US-Israeli airstrikes—rests with Iran. The report also notes that has contacted CENTCOM for comment regarding those claims. The report also notes that unable to exit the Gulf because of the US naval blockade but in many cases fully laden, shipping data and satellite imagery indicate there are nearly 20 Iranian tankers at anchor near Kharg. The report also notes that as Iran seeks to prevent shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz without its consent and the US steps up targeting of Iranian shipping, the fresh exchanges threaten to heighten a shipping war in and beyond the Persian Gulf. The report also notes that and the new attacks risk another retaliatory cycle, the two sides traded strikes earlier this week for the first time in over a month. The report also notes that “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,” said Adm. The report also notes that all they have to do is stop shooting at @USNavy.”. The report also notes that the tanker was hit by four projectiles fired by US forces, Tasnim reported.