U.S. military says it disabled three Iranian tankers after missile attacks on Navy vessels
The United States said it struck three Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for ballistic missiles fired at a carrier and a destroyer, while Iran condemned the attacks as illegal.
U.S. Central Command reported that after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles toward a U.S. aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer, American forces hit three Iranian tankers on Saturday. The M/T Downy off Kharg Island and the M/T Stark 1 near Jask were permanently disabled, and the M/T Kylo was destroyed near the Gulf of Oman after its crew was ordered to abandon ship.
"If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours," said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, adding that the United States would not hesitate to defend its forces and could target Iran's oil fleet.
Iran's Foreign Ministry denounced the strikes as illegal and aggressive, accusing the United States of imposing a naval blockade and an economic war that violate the United Nations Charter and constitute a threat to international peace and commercial shipping.
The incidents occurred near Kharg Island, a strategic Persian Gulf site that serves as a primary gateway for Iran's oil exports and also hosts military installations. The island has been a recurring flashpoint in the regional tension, with previous U.S. strikes on military targets there in March.