US destroys three Iranian tankers after ballistic missile attack on warships in Strait of Hormuz
US forces disabled two Iranian tankers and destroyed a third after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles at an American aircraft carrier and destroyer near the Strait of Hormuz.
Retaliation in the Gulf
On Saturday, 5 September 2026, the United States military struck three Iranian oil tankers in regional waters in response to a ballistic missile attack against two American warships. United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that an aircraft carrier and a guided missile destroyer patrolling near the Strait of Hormuz evaded multiple unprovoked ballistic missile salvos fired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). No American military personnel were injured during the engagement. CENTCOM stated that the retaliatory operation targeted vessels belonging to Iran's ghost fleet, which Washington identifies as a revenue network funding the IRGC.
Let the message to the Revolutionary Guard be clear: if you fire at two of our ships, we will impose a higher economic cost on you and eliminate three of yours.
Targeted vessels and locations
The American counterstrike hit three commercial vessels across separate maritime sectors, with CENTCOM noting that the tankers possessed no means of self-defense. US forces permanently disabled the tanker M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and permanently disabled the M/T Stark 1 near the southern port of Jask. In the Gulf of Oman, US forces completely destroyed the empty tanker M/T Kylo, also known as Noxen, delivering strikes to critical sections of the hull after instructing the crew to evacuate the vessel.
Iranian media confirmed explosions near maritime infrastructure. The Tasnim news agency, citing its correspondent on Kharg Island, reported that four American missiles struck an Iranian tanker six miles offshore within the island anchorage zone. Tasnim stated that the crew evacuated safely and suffered no fatalities. The Fars news agency reported hearing multiple detonations near Kharg Island without visible smoke, while the Student News Network confirmed an attack on an Iranian tanker in the area.
We will not hesitate to defend US forces and, if necessary, destroy Iran's limited and vulnerable oil fleet.
Escalation across regional waters
The maritime strikes follow a renewed wave of clashes as the confrontation between Washington and Tehran enters its seventh month. Hostilities resumed on Sunday, 30 August 2026, after a month of relative calm, when the US military launched operations to prevent the firing of rockets armed with naval mines into the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has continued its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States maintains a naval blockade against Iranian ports.
On Thursday, 3 September 2026, Iran announced that its armed forces launched strikes against US military facilities in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Tehran described those attacks as retaliation for a missile strike on a wedding party that Iranian officials attributed to the United States.
- Clashes resume as US strikes Iranian positions to block mine-armed rocket launches
- Iran launches strikes against US military installations in Kuwait and UAE
- IRGC fires missiles at two US warships; US disables two tankers and destroys a third
Strategic energy targets
The selection of targets focused on critical nodes of Iran's seaborne energy supply chain. Kharg Island houses Iran's primary oil export terminal in the Gulf, which handled 90% of the country's crude exports prior to the conflict. The strikes against M/T Downy, M/T Stark 1, and M/T Kylo directly targeted vessels identified by CENTCOM as revenue sources for the IRGC. By Saturday afternoon, the central government in Tehran had not issued an official communique regarding the losses.
