US Strikes Iranian Oil Tankers in Retaliation for Missile Attacks on Navy Ships

The US military launched strikes against three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday in response to missile attacks on Navy ships. The attacks came after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired two ballistic missiles at two US warships patrolling the sea, which successfully evaded the unprovoked attack and suffered no casualties.

The strikes targeted a tanker near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, a key hub for Iran's oil-export system, as well as vessels in the Gulf of Oman and near Jask. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the three tankers were part of a 'multibillion-dollar shadow network' funding the IRGC and its regional proxies.

CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper warned Iran's IRGC, saying 'Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost, taking out three of yours.' Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth also stated that if Iran shoots at US ships, 'we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers.'

The Iranian foreign ministry condemned the strikes as a 'clear violation of Paragraph 4 of Article 2 of the United Nations Charter' and warned that Iranian forces would target American military in the region 'more severely than before' if the US continues strikes against ships.