Washington, — U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday that American forces struck three Iranian crude oil tankers after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles toward two U.S. Navy warships operating in the region.
According to CENTCOM, the two U.S. warships, identified as an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer, successfully evaded the incoming missiles. No U.S. personnel were injured, and CENTCOM did not publicly identify the ships involved.
In response, U.S. forces permanently disabled two Iranian crude oil carriers and completely destroyed a third.
The vessels identified by CENTCOM were:
- M/T Downy (IMO 9218480) — struck off the coast of Kharg Island and permanently disabled.
- M/T Stark 1 (IMO 9171450) — struck near Jask and permanently disabled.
- M/T Kylo (IMO 9189146), also known as Noxen — completely destroyed in the Gulf of Oman.
CENTCOM said the three tankers were part of what it described as a multibillion-dollar shadow network that generates revenue for the IRGC and its regional proxy groups.
The command said the Kylo was unladen when it was targeted. Its crew was directed to abandon the vessel before U.S. forces struck multiple critical locations on the ship, according to the CENTCOM account. The action was intended to render the tanker inoperable.
Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM, said the United States would continue to defend its forces and could target Iran's oil fleet when necessary.
The strikes followed the latest confrontation between U.S. and Iranian forces in waters around the Gulf region. CENTCOM has previously reported U.S. operations against Iranian military and maritime capabilities as part of Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28, 2026.
Earlier this week, CENTCOM said U.S. forces had completed another wave of strikes against IRGC targets in Iran, including air-defense positions, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites. The command said those strikes followed attempted Iranian attacks against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. personnel.
The latest tanker strikes add another maritime dimension to the ongoing U.S.-Iran confrontation. CENTCOM has not yet provided further details on the condition of the tanker crews or reported any Iranian casualties from the latest operation.
Iran had not issued an immediate official response to the U.S. announcement at the time of reporting. Reports from the region said a tanker near Kharg Island had been hit, while accounts also emerged of U.S. military radio warnings being issued to a tanker before it was struck.
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