US permanently disables two Iranian oil tankers and completely destroys a third after IRGC launches ballistic missiles at American warships
The US military struck Iranian vessels in response to what it says was an Iranian attack on two Navy ships, escalating tit-for-tat strikes in the Gulf.
What happened
On Saturday, US Central Command said it had 'permanently disabled' a tanker near Kharg Island and another near Jask in the Gulf of Oman, and 'completely destroyed' a third in the Gulf of Oman, after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles at a US aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer. US Central Command said it 'successfully evaded' multiple Iranian attacks and reported no American casualties. Iran's state media confirmed the attacks occurred and reported that crews from two tankers were evacuated by lifeboat; IRIB stated there were no casualties from the strike on the Kharg Island tanker and that its cooling system extinguished fire within an hour. Admiral Brad Cooper stated the strikes were retaliation: 'If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost - taking out three of yours.' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote that the US will destroy Iranian oil tankers if Iran shoots at US ships.
Context
The strikes are part of an escalating cycle of tit-for-tat attacks between the US and Iran following the expiration of a 60-day ceasefire last month. US strikes resumed last Sunday against rocket launchers, followed by President Trump ordering a 'very heavy attack' on Tuesday, which prompted Iranian retaliation against US targets in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the world's oil and LNG supplies transit, has become a flashpoint in the conflict, with Iran seeking greater control. Centcom claims the three tankers were part of a 'multi-billion-dollar shadow network' funding the IRGC and regional proxies. The conflict has raised global energy prices; the average price for diesel in the US reached $5.85 per gallon on Friday, compared to $3.71 a year prior. Iran's military warned that continued US attacks on Iranian ships would prompt expanded strikes on American vessels.
What's disputed
Iran claimed that US strikes killed at least four people, including two children, at a wedding in southern Iran on Tuesday; US Vice-President JD Vance said he was 'extremely sceptical' of these reports but confirmed the US would investigate. The Iranian Red Crescent Society said shrapnel from a missile hit the ceremony.