US Destroys Iranian Oil Tankers Amid Escalating Tensions
The US military has destroyed three Iranian oil tankers in response to attempted missile attacks on American warships, escalating tensions between the two nations. The strikes occurred despite a fragile ceasefire that collapsed in July after attacks on commercial ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The US Central Command (Centcom) targeted the tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), accusing them of unsuccessfully firing at American warships. Centcom said it permanently disabled two tankers, M/T Downy and M/T Stark 1, off the coast of Kharg Island and Jask respectively.
The third tanker, M/T Kylo, was completely destroyed in the Gulf of Oman after being struck by multiple projectiles. The US military claimed that the three vessels were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network funding the IRGC and its regional proxies.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards responded by saying they targeted US-linked ships in response to the attempted missile attacks, warning other ships not to attempt to transit through unapproved routes. The Iranian foreign ministry condemned the US strikes as 'illegal and aggressive actions.'