CENTCOM: We targeted 3 Iranian oil tankers
CENTCOM: We targeted 3 Iranian oil tankers
2026-09-05
Shafaq News – Washington
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday that it had targeted three Iranian crude oil tankers after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps fired ballistic missiles at two US vessels.
CENTCOM stated in a statement seen by Shafaq News Agency that “an American aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded several Iranian attacks,” confirming that none of the American personnel were injured.
She added: “Following Iran’s failed attacks, Central Command permanently disabled two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps crude oil tankers, the M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and the M/T Stark 1 near Jask.”
She explained that “US forces completely destroyed the unladen crude oil tanker M/T Kylo (also known as Noxen) in the Gulf of Oman, striking the vessel in multiple critical locations to render it inoperable, after instructing its crew to abandon it.”
The statement noted that “the three Iranian crude oil tankers are part of a multi-billion dollar shadow network that funds the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and its regional proxies, and Iran has no means to defend them.”
For his part, the commander of the US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, said: “Let the message to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard be clear: If you fire on two of our ships, we will impose a higher economic cost and take three of your ships out.”
Cooper added: “We will not hesitate to defend American forces and, if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet.”
Earlier on Saturday, the Iranian news agency Fars reported hearing explosions near Iran’s Kharg Island.
The agency reported that an Iranian oil tanker in Kharg Island was attacked by an American missile.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bisent confirmed on Friday that “Iran’s export lifeline is being cut off, and it cannot replenish its oil stocks as they pile up on its ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz.”
shafaq.com
