US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday after American naval vessels came under missile attack, in a sharp escalation of the conflict around the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command said an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer had evaded multiple “unprovoked Iranian attacks” while operating in the region. No American personnel were injured, it said.
Two tankers were permanently disabled and a third, which was carrying no cargo, was destroyed, according to the US military. The vessels were described as part of a covert shipping network used to finance Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and allied armed groups.
Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of Central Command, said: “We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet.”
Iranian tankers hit near key oil routes
One tanker was targeted near Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, while another was struck close to Jask, east of the Strait of Hormuz. The third vessel was attacked in the Gulf of Oman after its crew had been ordered to abandon ship, the US said.
Iranian state television reported that four US missiles had hit a tanker about 10 kilometres from Kharg Island and later said the crews of two other vessels had evacuated. Tehran had not issued an immediate official response to the wider US account.
The tankers were identified by US Central Command as the M/T Downy, the M/T Stark 1 and the unladen M/T Kylo. Video released by the command purported to show the attacks.
The latest strikes came as the United States and Iran resumed direct hostilities after a month-long lull. The conflict began with US and Israeli attacks on February 28 and has since repeatedly shifted between military action and attempted negotiations.
President Donald Trump sought to play down the fighting on Friday, describing the conflict as “small potatoes”. The renewed strikes suggest that the confrontation remains active despite public claims that the campaign could be brought to a swift close.
Iran has sought to use the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas shipments, as leverage against the US blockade and wider economic pressure. American forces have been escorting and guiding some commercial vessels through the waterway, where traffic has fallen sharply.
A US maritime advisory said the risk of Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman remained high. It cited missile attacks, armed drones and unmanned surface vessels among the threats facing ships in the area.
The resumption of fighting followed a series of US strikes in southern Iran, including an attack that Iranian officials said hit a wedding. At least five people were reported killed earlier in the week.
Efforts to negotiate an end to the war have also collapsed. Talks intended to address Iran’s nuclear programme broke down after the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in June, while the US, Britain, France and Germany are seeking to refer Tehran to the UN Security Council over alleged breaches of its nuclear obligations.
