US Strikes Down Five Iranian Oil Tankers After Missile Threat

On Tuesday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it had taken out five Iranian crude‑oil carriers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island. The moves came after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) tried – and missed – to hit an American warship with ballistic missiles not once, but twice within 48 hours.

The U.S. ship, according to the statement, slipped past the incoming rockets unscathed. No crew members were injured and the vessel kept on patrolling the busy waters. In response, U.S. forces warned the crews of all five Iranian vessels to abandon ship and then struck them, rendering each one inoperable.

The four tankers sunk in the Gulf of Oman were named M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1 and M/T Riesco. A fifth, M/T Derya, was hit close to the Iranian oil hub of Kharg Island. CENTCOM described the fleet as a “multibillion‑dollar shadow network” that funnels money to the IRGC and its regional proxies, noting that Iran has no real means to protect those ships.

This isn’t the first time the United States has hit Iranian maritime assets in recent days. Just three days earlier, on Sept. 5, CENTCOM said it destroyed three other crude carriers after the IRGC tried to attack a U.S. aircraft carrier and a guided‑missile destroyer. All attempts, it added, failed.

Meanwhile, Tehran’s side of the story paints a picture of retaliation. State media reported that the IRGC launched ballistic missiles at the U.S. Al‑Azraq air base in Jordan and at two American destroyers, DDG‑119 and DDG‑53. The operation, dubbed “Ya Haidar Karrar,” supposedly targeted hangars and shelters housing F‑35, F‑16 and F‑15 jets. The IRGC claimed it caused “significant damage” to the warships, though independent verification is lacking.

As the missiles flew over neighboring skies, regional air defenses sprang to life. Jordan says its units intercepted at least eight projectiles over Amman, while Syrian state TV reported intercepts near the border city of Irbid. The flurry of activity raised tensions across the already volatile region.

Adding another twist, the IRGC Navy announced that it had captured a U.S. unmanned submersible near the Strait of Hormuz earlier that day. According to Iranian state broadcast, the drone‑sub was a 2025 model equipped with the latest underwater tech.

Both sides are now trading warnings. Washington’s message is clear: any further attempts to strike U.S. vessels will be met with decisive force. Tehran, for its part, vows to keep striking back until the United States “ceases all attacks against Iranian shipping.” The risk of escalation remains high as both militaries keep a close watch on each other’s movements in the Gulf.