US destroys 3 Iranian oil tankers after missile attack

US forces destroyed three Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman after Iran launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships, escalating regional tensions. US Central Command warned it would "if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet" to defend American forces and ensure maritime navigation.

According to the Pentagon, two of the Iranian oil carriers were permanently disabled, while a third, unladen tanker was destroyed. The US military stated the vessels were part of a shadow network that helped finance Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and armed proxy groups. Video footage of the strikes was shared by the US.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the military could attack Iran’s entire oil tanker fleet if Iran continued to shoot at US ships. He noted that Iran’s oil tanker fleet is defenceless against US planes, ships, and submarines.

The strikes occurred off Kharg Island and near Jask, with the unladen tanker hit in the Gulf of Oman. This follows a period of relative calm after renewed strikes began approximately a month prior, with previous negotiation attempts having collapsed. The recent escalation also comes after a US strike hit a wedding in southern Iran, killing four people, and a February attack on a school compound that killed 156 people, according to preliminary military inquiries suggesting a targeting error.