WATCH: CENTCOM strikes three Iranian oil tankers after IRGC attack on US ships
The strikes were carried out after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships, CENTCOM said.
On Saturday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it had targeted three Iranian oil tankers, one of which was located off the coast of Kharg Island, a critical oil export hub. The strikes were in retaliation for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launching ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships. Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US CENTCOM, emphasized that the US would impose a higher economic cost on Iran if the IRGC continued to target US ships.Advertisement
Tasnim, a semi-official Iranian news agency, reported earlier that four US missiles had hit a tanker near Kharg's anchorage, but there were no reported casualties and the crew was being evacuated. CENTCOM confirmed that there were no American personnel harmed in the operation. The attack came shortly after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth tweeted that Iran would face "destroyed (and sunk) their oil tankers" if they continued to attack US ships.
Hegseth also noted that Iran's oil tanker fleet is defenseless, lacking a navy or air force, making them vulnerable targets for US planes, ships, and submarines.
The recent exchange of attacks follows a week of escalating tensions between the US and Iran, a conflict that has persisted since the US launched strikes on Iran in February, disrupting global energy supplies and facing opposition from many Americans ahead of the November congressional elections. Trump had threatened to "blow to smithereens" Kharg Island on August 31, but later said such an operation was off the table.
Despite this, tensions remained high, with Iran being the third-largest oil producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, with 90% of its crude exports previously passing through Kharg Island. However, exports have been disrupted since the US imposed a blockade on Iranian oil shipments in mid-April. Trump had previously expressed interest in taking control of Kharg Island, but this was ruled out shortly before Iran and the US signed an interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict on June 17.
The US blockade of Iranian ports followed Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway that once carried a fifth of the world's oil supply before the war. Brent crude futures saw a significant increase, reaching $96.28 a barrel on Friday, due to concerns over Middle Eastern supply disruptions.
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