U.S. Forces Strike Three Iranian Oil Tankers After ‘Unprovoked’ Attacks on Navy Warships
U.S. forces struck three Iranian oil tankers Saturday after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps allegedly launched ballistic missiles toward two American Navy warships, marking another major escalation in the conflict with Tehran.
U.S. Central Command said an American aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer came under what it described as “multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks” while patrolling regional waters.
Both American warships successfully evaded the attacks, according to CENTCOM, and no U.S. personnel were injured.
American forces responded by targeting three Iranian oil tankers operating in different locations around the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
The M/T Downy was struck off the coast of Kharg Island, Iran’s critical oil-export hub, while the M/T Stark 1 was targeted near Jask, east of the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said both vessels were “permanently disabled.”
A third tanker, the M/T Kylo, also known as the Noxen, was targeted in the Gulf of Oman after its crew was directed to abandon the vessel.
That tanker was not carrying oil at the time and was completely destroyed, according to the U.S. military.
CENTCOM said all three vessels were connected to a multibillion-dollar shadow network used to generate money for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Iranian-backed groups throughout the Middle East.
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, said the strikes were intended to send Tehran an unmistakable message following the attempted attacks on American forces.
“If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours,” Cooper said.
The CENTCOM commander also warned that additional attacks on American personnel could bring significantly greater consequences for Iran’s oil industry.
“We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet,” Cooper said.
Iranian media had earlier reported that an oil tanker near Kharg Island was struck by four American missiles Saturday morning.
Video obtained by Iran International, filmed aboard a nearby vessel, captures the US military’s radio warnings to the Iranian oil tanker STARK 1 before it was struck near Kharg Island.
Three warnings are audible over the VHF channel. In the first, a US military aircraft tells the… pic.twitter.com/7W8LfDNngM— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) September 5, 2026
Iranian reports said the crew survived the attack and was evacuated, with no casualties initially reported.
Kharg Island is particularly important to Tehran because it has historically handled the overwhelming majority of Iran’s crude oil exports, making infrastructure and shipping around the island economically critical to the regime.
The latest confrontation comes less than a week after American and Iranian forces resumed attacks following roughly a month of relative calm.
Fighting around the Strait of Hormuz has become increasingly important to the conflict because the waterway has historically carried a significant portion of the world’s oil and natural gas shipments.
The U.S. military has been helping commercial vessels navigate the region as Iran attempts to exert greater control over the strategic passage.
Saturday’s strikes demonstrate that Washington is increasingly willing to target not only Iranian military infrastructure but also assets the United States says are financing the IRGC.
With three Iranian tankers now disabled or destroyed, CENTCOM is warning Tehran that further attacks on American ships could result in an even broader campaign against Iran’s remaining oil fleet.