Three Iranian oil tankers were struck by US military forces on 5 September after Iran attempted to target two American naval vessels with ballistic missiles, according to US Central Command (Centcom), as Tehran warned it would respond with further reprisals if the attacks persist.
The incident marked the latest escalation in a six-month conflict as Iran tries to further tighten its grip over the strait of Hormuz while the US increases pressure through military action and economic sanctions.
The tankers targeted were linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Centcom said, which it accused of launching attacks on a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer.
"CENTCOM permanently disabled the IRGC crude oil carriers M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask", it said in the statement. "American forces also completely destroyed the unladen crude oil carrier M/T Kylo (also known as the "Noxen") in the Gulf of Oman, striking the vessel in multiple critical locations to render it inoperable".
The three tankers were "part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies", Centcom said.
Video footage released by Centcom showed multiple strikes on the Kylo followed by several explosions. It later said in a post on social media platform X that the vessel had sunk, alongside additional footage that showed the tanker heavily listing to the starboard side.
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of Centcom, defended the operation, saying "if you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost – taking out three of yours."
Iran later indicated that it had responded to the US action. The IRGC said its naval forces had "subsequently targeted three oil tankers traveling along an unauthorized route in the strait of Hormuz as well as three vessels affiliated with the US in other areas" following the attacks on the Iranian tankers, according to IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency.
The group also repeated earlier warnings against vessels using shipping routes through the strait of Hormuz that have not been approved by Iran.
There was no immediate confirmation from Centcom regarding the IRGC's claims. The UK Maritime Trade Operations had not confirmed any of the attacks on commercial vessels in the strait of Hormuz as of publication.
Kylo and Stark 1 are Suezmax tankers built in 2001 and 2000, respectively, while Downy is a 2004-built very large crude carrier.
