The U.S. military announced Saturday that it had struck and destroyed three Iranian oil tankers in response to Iran's missile attacks on two U.S. Navy warships. The retaliatory strikes occurred on September 5, 2026, escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the surrounding waters.

According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), a U.S. aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer evaded "multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks" while patrolling the region, with no U.S. personnel being harmed.

In a statement, CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper declared, "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." He added, "We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran's limited and exposed oil fleet."

The three targeted tankers were identified as M/T Downy, struck near Kharg Island; M/T Stark 1, hit near Jask; and M/T Kylo, which was destroyed in the Gulf of Oman. The M/T Downy and M/T Stark 1 were "permanently disabled," while the M/T Kylo was rendered inoperable and sank after being struck in multiple locations.

U.S. officials stated that these tankers were part of a "shadow network" used to fund Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its regional proxies.

In response to the U.S. strikes, Iran's state broadcaster reported that the Iranian Navy targeted three oil tankers and three U.S.-affiliated ships in retaliation. However, CENTCOM has not confirmed these Iranian claims.

The incidents mark a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which began earlier in the year. Negotiations between the two nations have reportedly collapsed.