U.S. Navy Says It Destroyed Three Iranian Oil Tankers After Missile Attacks on Warships

The U.S. military said on Saturday it hit three Iranian oil tankers after Navy warships were targeted with missiles, warning it would "if necessary, destroy Iran's limited and exposed oil fleet." The strikes came after a U.S. aircraft carrier and a destroyer evaded what the Pentagon described as "multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks" while patrolling the area, and no U.S. personnel were injured.

According to the statement, two of the tankers were permanently disabled and a third, an unladen vessel, was destroyed. The attacks were said to have taken place off Kharg Island, near Jask on the east side of the Strait of Hormuz, and in the Gulf of Oman. The Pentagon released video footage it said showed the strikes.

"We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran's limited and exposed oil fleet," said Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command.

Iranian state television earlier claimed that U.S. missiles had struck a tanker near Kharg Island, a key export terminal that has been repeatedly targeted during the conflict. The United States has described the tankers as part of a shadow network that finances Iran's Revolutionary Guard and its regional proxies.

The latest actions follow a recent escalation in hostilities that began in late February, after a period of relative calm. Both sides have been attempting to inflict military and economic damage, and diplomatic negotiations have stalled.