US Strikes Five Iranian Oil Tankers in Retaliation for Ballistic Missile Attack

The US military has struck five Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for Iran's ballistic missile attack on two American warships. The strikes, carried out by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), targeted vessels that were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow shipping network used to fund the IRGC and its regional allies.

The incident began when the IRGC launched missiles at the USS Nimitz and the USS Philadephia, both of which successfully evaded the attacks. In response, CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said that if you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost.

The US military confirmed that it permanently disabled three Iranian oil tankers, while completely destroying two others. The M/T Downy and M/T Stark 1 were the first to be targeted on September 5th, followed by two additional vessels in the days that followed. CENTCOM said the crew of the M/T Kylo was warned to abandon ship before the strike.

The IRGC pushed back, saying it had struck three oil tankers traveling through an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz, along with three vessels linked to the United States in other areas. The IRGC navy warned all ships in the Persian Gulf to refrain from any suspicious movement aimed at transiting unauthorized waterways.