TAMPA, Fla. — September 9, 2026: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers on September 8 after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles at a U.S. Navy warship twice over the previous two days.
CENTCOM said the warship evaded both attacks and continued patrolling regional waters. No American personnel were injured.
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
Five Iranian tankers destroyed
The U.S. strikes targeted four tankers in the Gulf of Oman and one near Kharg Island. The vessels were:
- M/T Kaviz (IMO 9282041)
- M/T Charminar (IMO 9318022)
- M/T Horizon 1 (IMO 9130456)
- M/T Riesco (IMO 9251822)
- M/T Derya (IMO 9569700)
CENTCOM said U.S. forces ordered the crews to abandon the vessels before the strikes. The tankers were then struck and rendered inoperable. CENTCOM footage showed M/T Riesco sinking in the Gulf of Oman.
CENTCOM said the tankers were part of a multibillion-dollar Iranian “shadow network” that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies.
Iran retaliates against U.S. forces in Jordan
Iran responded by launching 20 ballistic missiles toward Jordan, targeting a U.S. military presence near Al Azraq. Jordan's Armed Forces said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 18 missiles, while two landed in unpopulated areas. No casualties were reported.
The IRGC claimed its attack damaged facilities used by U.S. aircraft, but those claims have not been independently verified.
Iran also threatened commercial oil tankers in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports, warning crews to leave their vessels because both countries host U.S. forces.
Part of a continuing cycle of strikes
The September 8 operation followed a September 5 U.S. strike that destroyed or disabled three Iranian crude oil carriers after the IRGC launched ballistic missiles toward a U.S. aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer. CENTCOM said those attacks also failed to hit the U.S. warships.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would continue responding to Iranian attacks on American naval vessels, stating that Iran would lose tankers whenever it attempted to hit U.S. Navy ships.
The latest exchange has also affected oil markets, with Brent crude moving toward $100 a barrel amid concerns over further disruption to regional oil supplies and shipping.
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