Three Iranian oil tankers were struck by the U.S. military on Saturday in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, U.S. Central Command said, after it accused Iranian forces of firing ballistic missiles at two Navy warships. No American personnel were hurt.
Two of the tankers were “permanently disabled” and the third, which was unladen, was destroyed, the U.S. statement said. One vessel was hit off Kharg Island, another near Jask, and the empty tanker was struck in the Gulf of Oman. The military released what it described as video footage of the strikes.
The U.S. said an aircraft carrier and a destroyer had evaded “multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks” while patrolling the region. It described the tankers as part of a shadow network funding Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and its armed proxies across the Middle East.
“We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command.
Iran earlier accused the United States of attacking an Iranian tanker near Kharg Island, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. Kharg Island handles the bulk of Iran’s crude exports, and the waters off Jask sit near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a route for much of the world’s seaborne oil.
The strikes came nearly a week after Washington and Tehran resumed attacks following a month of relative calm. The exchanges are part of an on-again, off-again conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28. Both sides have sought to inflict military and economic damage, and negotiations between them have collapsed.
Recent weeks have seen repeated clashes in and around the Gulf, including earlier American strikes on Iranian oil targets at Kharg and Larak. Iranian forces have also targeted U.S. positions in the wider region during the campaign.
Oil markets have reacted to each escalation, with prices climbing after previous attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure. Iran’s export network relies heavily on a fleet of aging tankers, several of which operate outside standard shipping registries.
Iran has not confirmed casualties or the extent of damage to the vessels. No further exchanges had been reported as of Saturday.