CAIRO, Sept 5 – U.S. forces have struck three Iranian oil tankers after American Navy warships came under missile attacks while operating in the region, marking another sharp escalation in the renewed fighting between Washington and Tehran.
The U.S. military said Saturday that an American aircraft carrier and a destroyer successfully evaded multiple Iranian missile attacks and that no U.S. personnel were injured. In response, American forces targeted three vessels that Washington described as part of a network supporting Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its armed allies across the Middle East.
According to the U.S. military, two of the tankers were permanently disabled, while a third vessel, which was not carrying cargo at the time, was destroyed. The strikes came just a day after President Donald Trump had sought to downplay the broader conflict, describing it as “small potatoes.”
However, the latest military action suggests that the confrontation has again entered a more dangerous phase after several months of intermittent fighting and failed attempts to reach a political settlement. The conflict began after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28 and has since shifted repeatedly between military escalation, periods of relative calm and unsuccessful diplomatic engagement.
Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Central Command, issued a strong warning following the attacks, saying American forces would continue defending themselves and could target Iran’s vulnerable oil fleet if Tehran continued its actions against U.S. personnel and military assets.
“We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet,” Cooper said.
Iran had not issued an immediate public response to the latest U.S. strikes.
U.S. Targets Tankers Near Key Iranian Waters
Iranian state television earlier reported that four U.S. missiles had struck a tanker approximately 6 miles, or 10 kilometers, from Kharg Island, a strategically important location that handles a major share of Iran’s oil exports.
Kharg Island has already been targeted several times during the conflict. In March, U.S. forces struck military sites in the area, highlighting the island’s importance to both Iran’s energy infrastructure and the wider confrontation in the Persian Gulf.
The U.S. military said one of the tankers was hit near Kharg Island, while another was struck close to Jask, an Iranian coastal area east of the Strait of Hormuz. A third tanker was attacked in the Gulf of Oman after its crew had been directed to abandon the vessel, according to the U.S. statement.
American officials said the vessels were linked to a shadow network used to transport Iranian oil despite sanctions and other restrictions imposed on Tehran. Washington has long accused such networks of helping finance the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as well as armed groups aligned with Iran throughout the region.
The renewed military campaign comes after nearly a month of relative calm. During the past week, however, Iran and the United States resumed direct attacks, bringing renewed attention to the Strait of Hormuz and communities located along Iran’s southern coastline.
The strategically important waterway remains central to the conflict because of its role in global energy shipments. Large quantities of oil and natural gas traditionally pass through the strait, making any disruption there a concern not only for countries in the Middle East but also for international energy markets.
Earlier this week, at least five people were killed during U.S. strikes in southern Iran. One of the attacks struck near a wedding celebration, leaving several people injured, including two teenage girls.
Thirteen-year-old Masoumeh Zarei was receiving treatment at a hospital after suffering injuries to her abdomen. She said the wedding celebration had already begun when she was making her way to join the event.
According to Zarei, she was knocked unconscious after explosions struck a telecommunications tower near the area. When she regained consciousness, she found herself in a hospital.
“The party had just started, and we wanted to go there,” she said. “I had made my nails really pretty for the party, but everything changed.”
Another teenager, 14-year-old Kiana Karimi, was also injured and was being treated in intensive care. She said she heard five explosions during the attack.
Karimi said the first three explosions near the telecommunications tower knocked people to the ground. She said she tried to help her brothers before two more explosions occurred, after which she said she could remember nothing.
The incidents have added to growing concerns about the impact of the renewed fighting on civilians living near military and strategic infrastructure.
Oil Pressure and Failed Diplomacy Deepen the Conflict
The latest strikes also represent a shift toward greater pressure on Iran’s energy sector, one of the few major economic resources available to Tehran as it faces decades of sanctions and growing restrictions on trade.
The recent return to fighting followed fresh U.S. attempts to increase economic pressure on Iran. Tehran’s senior leadership has indicated that it is prepared to withstand further sanctions, while the elected government of President Masoud Pezeshkian has publicly favored reaching a negotiated settlement to end the conflict.
Iran has spent years developing methods to keep its oil flowing despite international restrictions. A network of vessels, often referred to as a shadow fleet, has helped move Iranian crude to international buyers and provided Tehran with a crucial source of revenue.
The United States has also imposed pressure on Iranian ports, further increasing the importance of these shipping networks. By targeting tankers linked to the Iranian oil trade, Washington is now seeking to place additional economic pressure on Tehran while responding to what it describes as direct military attacks on American forces.
At the center of the broader conflict remains Iran’s nuclear program. Negotiations intended to address the issue collapsed shortly after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June.
Since then, neither side has been able to establish a lasting diplomatic path forward.
Iran’s position has increasingly focused on the Strait of Hormuz, giving Tehran influence over one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Before the war, the strait was widely regarded as an international waterway used by commercial vessels from numerous countries. Tehran has since asserted greater control over the area and has targeted some ships passing through it.
The U.S. military has been helping guide vessels through the strait, but commercial traffic remains significantly reduced amid continuing security concerns.
The attacks on the three Iranian tankers underscore how quickly the conflict has moved beyond direct exchanges between military forces. Energy infrastructure, shipping networks and economic pressure have become increasingly important parts of the confrontation.
With diplomacy stalled, commercial shipping disrupted and both sides demonstrating a willingness to continue military operations, the latest escalation leaves the region facing renewed uncertainty. The absence of an immediate Iranian response may offer only a brief pause, as the broader conflict continues to show little sign of moving toward a lasting resolution.