US Strikes Three Iranian Oil Tankers After Missile Attack on Warships
US Central Command (CENTCOM) disabled and destroyed three Iranian crude oil tankers in response to an unprovoked IRGC ballistic missile attack targeting US Navy vessels in the region.
United States Central Command (CENTCOM) forces targeted and disabled three Iranian crude oil tankers on Saturday, following an Iranian ballistic missile attack directed at two US warships patrolling regional waters.
According to CENTCOM, a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded multiple missiles launched by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). US military officials characterized the Iranian attack as "unprovoked" and confirmed that no American personnel were injured.
Retaliatory Strikes on the "Shadow Fleet"
In immediate retaliation, US forces permanently disabled two IRGC crude oil tankers:
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M/T Downy, located near Kharg Island;
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M/T Stark 1, located in the Jask region.
A third tanker, M/T Kylo (also operating under the name Noxen), was completely destroyed in the Gulf of Oman. According to the US military, the vessel was empty at the time of the operation. The crew was ordered to abandon the ship before US forces struck critical points to render the vessel permanently inoperable.
CENTCOM stated that the three tankers are part of a multi-billion-dollar "shadow fleet" used to fund the IRGC and its regional proxies, adding that Iran lacks the capability to protect these vessels.
Direct Warning to the IRGC
Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, issued a direct warning to the IRGC:
"Let the message to the IRGC be clear: if you fire on two of our ships, we will exact an even higher economic price—and take out three of yours."
Cooper added:
"We will not hesitate to defend US forces, and if necessary, we will destroy Iran's limited and exposed oil fleet."
Explosions Near Kharg Island
Shortly after the CENTCOM announcement, Iranian state news agency Fars reported explosions near Iran's strategic oil hub, Kharg Island. Iranian sources attributed the blasts to a US strike on an oil tanker. No casualties have been reported.
Kharg Island handles the vast majority of Iran's crude oil exports and represents a critical strategic asset for Tehran. While President Donald Trump recently claimed the island had been "destroyed," US officials later clarified that no direct strikes had been carried out on the island itself.
