In brief
In a dramatic escalation, US Central Command declared it had permanently disabled an Iranian‑linked tanker off Kharg Island, another near the Strait of Hormuz and destroyed a third in the Gulf of Oman following missile attacks on US warships. The strikes come after a flurry of Iranian retaliation that closed the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic. Admiral Brad Cooper warned the IRGC that further attacks would trigger a heavier economic reprisal, underlining America’s willingness to neutralise Iran’s vulnerable oil fleet. The action marks a renewed flare in US‑Iran tensions that has unfolded into a broader Gulf conflict, highlighting the strategic importance of the region’s maritime corridor.
US hits three Iranian‑linked oil tankers after saying its warships were targeted
The US Central Command (Centcom) said Saturday that it had permanently disabled a tanker offshore Kharg Island, another near the Strait of Hormuz and completely destroyed a third in the Gulf of Oman.
These strikes follow reports that ballistic missiles were launched towards a US aircraft carrier and a guided‑missile destroyer in the western Persian Gulf. Centcom said its forces evaded multiple attacks from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and that no American personnel were harmed.
Iranian state media confirmed that one of the tankers had been struck by US missiles off Kharg Island, adding that the attack was a proportional response to the missile salvo.
Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of Centcom, warned the IRGC that the US would impose “an even higher economic cost” should its forces be attacked, explaining that the strikes were aimed at deterring further aggression and neutralising Iran’s vulnerable oil fleet.
This latest action occurs less than a week after a resurgence of hostilities that began with the US‑Israel strikes on 28 February. Those attacks triggered Iranian retaliation against US bases, Israeli targets and other Gulf allies, largely closing the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic.
The Gulf has long been a flashpoint for regional security, its strategic maritime corridor essential for global energy supplies.
