U.S. destroys 3 Iranian oil tankers after IRGC fires on Navy warships

U.S. Central Command said Saturday that American forces struck three Iranian crude oil tankers after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles toward two U.S. Navy warships patrolling the Persian Gulf region, marking a sharp escalation in the six-month-old conflict between Washington and Tehran.centcom

A U.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer evaded the Iranian attacks, and no American personnel were harmed, according to CENTCOM's statement. In retaliation, U.S. forces permanently disabled the IRGC crude oil carriers M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask, and completely destroyed the unladen M/T Kylo — also known as the "Noxen" — in the Gulf of Oman after directing its crew to abandon ship.nbcnews+1

"Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours," CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said. "We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran's limited and exposed oil fleet."centcom

Shadow Network and Kharg Island

CENTCOM described the three vessels as part of a "multibillion-dollar shadow network" that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies. Kharg Island, a small coral outcrop about 15 miles off Iran's coast, typically handles roughly 90% of the country's crude oil exports and has been a repeated flashpoint during the conflict. Iranian state media reported earlier Saturday that a tanker near the island had been struck by four U.S. missiles, with no casualties, before CENTCOM released its fuller account.nytimes+3

Audio confirmed by CNN captured a U.S. military aircraft warning the M/T Stark 1 to evacuate, stating: "You have 10 minutes to clear the crew from the stern of your ship." A later exchange included a voice purportedly from the ship responding: "We are already destroyed."cnn

Escalation After Brief Calm

The strikes come nearly a week after fighting resumed following a month of relative quiet. Earlier this week, the U.S. carried out roughly 100 strikes against Iranian targets, and at least five Iranian civilians were killed when a strike hit a wedding gathering in southern Iran's Sirik County — an incident the Pentagon said it is investigating.abc15+1

Oil prices have climbed amid the renewed hostilities, with Brent crude rising above $96 a barrel as disruption in the Strait of Hormuz revived supply concerns. The conflict, which began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, has killed more than 3,500 Iranians and 18 U.S. service members, according to Iranian authorities and the Pentagon respectively.stripes+1

President Trump on Friday dismissed the conflict as "small potatoes," while Vice President JD Vance told reporters Thursday that he "wouldn't call it a war," adding: "Right now, there is no active shooting." That characterization came one day before Iran fired ballistic missiles at American warships and the U.S. destroyed three Iranian tankers in response.thehill