US strikes five Iranian tankers in response to continued targeting of US vessels
U.S. forces struck five Iranian tankers Tuesday in the Gulf of Oman, in a response to new attempted Iranian attacks against a U.S. Navy vessel.
Forces hit multiple Iranian tankers tied to the IRGC, according to a US official. The strikes were in response to more attempted attacks on a US Navy warship, according to the official, in which there were no injuries or impacts.
CENTCOM forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers, Sept. 8, after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the past two days. The U.S. warship successfully evaded the attempted Iranian attacks and… pic.twitter.com/Gi8a2tloN1
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 8, 2026
The tankers included the crude oil carriers M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, and M/T Riesco, as well as the M/T Derya, which was struck near Kharg Island.
Iranian state media reported the sound of explosions near the island.
The exchange marks several days of back-and-forth attacks between the U.S. and Iran. U.S. Central Command on Saturday it hit multiple Iranian crude oil tankers over the weekend after the IRGC targeted US military warships with ballistic missiles.
Iran’s military threatened to respond Tuesday evening, through state media, underscoring US bases in the region and vessels in Kuwait and Bahrain.
The US military pressure comes as the Trump administration increased economic pressure with additional sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector Tuesday.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
