RismadarVoice Reporters
September 5, 2026
The United States military says its forces have struck three Iranian oil vessels after Iran launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Saturday that an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer came under multiple attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), but the American vessels evaded the strikes.
According to CENTCOM, no US personnel were injured in the attacks.
The command said American forces subsequently retaliated by disabling two crude oil carriers,s the M/T Downy off Kharg Island and the M/T Stark 1 near Jask.
A third vessel, identified as the M/T Kylo, was destroyed near the Gulf of Oman, CENTCOM said.
The military said the Kylo was not carrying oil when it was targeted and that its crew had been ordered to abandon the vessel before US forces struck it at several points.
CENTCOM commander, Adm. Brad Cooper, said the operation was intended to impose an economic cost on Iran following the alleged attacks on American naval vessels.
“If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours,” Cooper said in a statement.
He added that the US would continue to defend its personnel and could target Iran’s oil fleet if necessary.
Kharg Island, located about 15 miles off Iran’s coast in the Persian Gulf, is a major component of the country’s oil export infrastructure. The strategically important island also hosts military installations, including air defence systems and underground mines.
The island has emerged repeatedly as a flashpoint in the ongoing conflict. US forces previously attacked military targets there in March but avoided the island’s oil facilities.
At the time, President Donald Trump warned that the US could target Iran’s energy infrastructure if Tehran continued to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian media also reported on Saturday that a tanker near Kharg Island had been hit by US missiles and that its crew was evacuated.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that no casualties were recorded in the incident.
