US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers after ballistic missiles targeted Navy warships in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating regional tensions.
WASHINGTON – U.S. forces struck three Iranian oil tankers Saturday after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles toward two American Navy warships, marking a significant escalation in the increasingly direct confrontation between Washington and Tehran. U.S. Central Command confirmed the strikes, saying the American vessels had come under multiple attacks while operating in the region. According to CENTCOM, the U.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer targeted by Iran successfully evaded the incoming attacks, and no American personnel were injured. The American response shifted the confrontation from attacks on military forces to strikes against Iranian oil infrastructure at sea, potentially increasing pressure on Tehran’s ability to move and export crude.
CENTCOM said U.S. forces struck three Iranian crude-oil carriers as part of the response. Two of the tankers were described by the U.S. military as being permanently disabled, while a third vessel, which was not carrying cargo, was destroyed. The military said the ships were connected to what it characterized as a shadow network that helps finance Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and armed groups aligned with Tehran. One of the vessels was struck near Kharg Island, a major Iranian oil-export hub.
Other strikes occurred in strategic waters near Iran, according to U.S. officials and reports. The attacks represent a potentially important development because they directly affect commercial and economic assets associated with Iran’s oil industry rather than focusing solely on military facilities. CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the United States would continue defending American forces and warned that additional Iranian attacks could result in further action against Iran’s oil fleet.