Iran war latest: Iranian tanker sinks in Gulf of Oman after US strike, Centcom says

On Saturday, the United States military sank an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, according to CENTCOM's announcement on X/Twitter. The M/T Kylo met its fate at the bottom of the sea, joining Iran's navy in an underwater impasse, as reported by CENTCOM in a tweet featuring an image of the sinking tanker. The strike comes in the wake of earlier attacks on three other Iranian tankers throughout the day, part of the US's ongoing naval and economic blockade aimed at weakening the Islamic regime.

These strikes were executed in retaliation for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launching ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships earlier in the day. CENTCOM's Chief, Adm. Brad Cooper, emphasized that the US would impose a higher economic cost on Iran if the IRGC were to attack US forces once again. Tasnim, Iran's semi-official news agency, stated that four US missiles were fired at a tanker near Kharg Island, with no reported casualties and the crew being evacuated.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed similar sentiments on X, threatening to sink Iranian oil tankers if Iran were to target US Navy vessels. The recent escalation in hostilities underscores the ongoing conflict that has persisted since February, when the US initiated strikes on Iran, disrupting global energy supplies and facing opposition from a majority of Americans prior to the congressional elections in November.