US says it struck three Iran-linked oil tankers after warship attacks
US Central Command says ballistic missiles were launched towards an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer. The claims have not been independently verified.
The United States says it struck three Iran-linked oil tankers after ballistic missiles were launched towards two US Navy warships in the region.
US Central Command said one tanker near Kharg Island and another near the Strait of Hormuz were “permanently disabled”. A third tanker in the Gulf of Oman was described as “completely destroyed”.
Centcom said the attacks targeted a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer, and that the ships successfully evaded multiple attacks from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It said no American troops were harmed.
Iranian state media reported that one oil tanker had been struck by US missiles off Kharg Island. The source material does not independently verify the reported missile launches or the extent of the tanker damage, and it remains unclear whether the vessels were Iranian-owned, Iran-operated or otherwise linked to Iran.
The strikes follow renewed attacks between the US and Iran after nearly a week of relative calm. The conflict began with wide-ranging US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February, followed by Iranian attacks on Israel, US bases and Gulf allies.
Tanker transit through the Strait of Hormuz has reportedly been disrupted during the conflict. Centcom’s account frames the strikes as a response intended to impose an economic cost on Iran and defend US forces.
