The U.S. military struck three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday, September 5, 2026, in response to ballistic missile attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeting U.S. Navy warships. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said two Iranian oil carriers were “permanently disabled” and a third destroyed, part of a network funding the IRGC and its proxies. The strikes occurred off the coasts of Kharg Island, Jask, and in the Gulf of Oman.
According to CENTCOM, a U.S. aircraft carrier and destroyer successfully evaded multiple Iranian attacks with no U.S. personnel harmed. Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, stated, “If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours,” and affirmed the U.S. would “not hesitate to destroy Iran's limited and exposed oil fleet.”
Iran’s IRGC subsequently announced it had targeted three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and three vessels “affiliated with the child-killing America” in other areas. The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the U.S. strikes as “illegal and aggressive actions.”
The conflict has disrupted oil flows, with Iran exporting 90% of its crude via Kharg Island before the war, and has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil supply. The U.S. has been guiding ships through the strait as Iran asserts control. Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have collapsed, and the U.S. has imposed sanctions on entities with financial links to Iran. The six-month conflict has seen periods of escalation and relative calm, with the latest strikes following a week of resumed attacks, including a U.S. bombardment of southern Iran that killed at least five people, including at a wedding.
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