US strikes three Iranian oil tankers after missile attacks on Navy warships

Sep 5, 2026

The United States military struck and disabled or destroyed three Iranian oil tankers on September 5, 2026, after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles at two U.S. Navy warships. Admiral Brad Cooper warned that the U.S. would destroy Iran's entire oil fleet if attacks continue. The escalation follows a week of renewed fighting in a six-month war that began on February 28, 2026, which has shut the vital Strait of Hormuz and driven U.S. diesel prices to a record $5.85 per gallon.

US strikes Iranian tankers

▪Iranian state media reported that there were no casualties in the attack on the tanker near Kharg Island and that the vessel's cooling system extinguished the fire within an hour
▪United States Central Command completely destroyed the unladen crude oil carrier M/T Kylo, also known as the Noxen, in the Gulf of Oman after directing its crew to abandon ship
▪The Iranian foreign affairs ministry strongly condemned the United States military strikes on September 5, 2026, calling them illegal, aggressive, and a violation of the United Nations Charter
▪United States Central Command permanently disabled the crude oil carrier M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and the M/T Stark 1 near Jask
▪United States Central Command forces struck three Iranian crude oil carriers on September 5, 2026, permanently disabling two and completely destroying a third

Iranian missile attacks

▪The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles targeting two United States Navy warships patrolling regional waters on September 5, 2026
▪A spokesperson for Iran's joint military command warned that strikes against United States military vessels would expand if the United States continues to interfere with Iranian shipping
▪A United States aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded multiple unprovoked Iranian missile attacks, and no American personnel were harmed

Six-month US-Iran conflict

▪The broader conflict between the United States and Iran began with joint United States and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, 2026
▪A United States bombardment of southern Iran earlier in the week killed at least five people, including a strike that hit a wedding celebration in Sirik on September 1, 2026
▪The United States and Iran resumed direct military attacks approximately one week prior to September 5, 2026, ending a month-long period of relative calm
▪A 60-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran formally expired in August 2026 without a further diplomatic settlement

Shadow oil network funding

▪Iran exported 90 percent of its crude oil via Kharg Island before the war, but flows have been disrupted by a United States naval blockade of Iranian ports that began in mid-April 2026
▪The United States Treasury Department sanctioned Golden Global Yatirim Bankasi Anonim Sirketi and two subsidiaries for allegedly facilitating the transfer of Iranian oil revenues from China to Turkey
▪United States Central Command stated that the three targeted Iranian oil tankers were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its regional proxies

Trump administration response

▪United States President Donald Trump downplayed the conflict with Iran on September 4, 2026, characterizing the hostilities as 'small potatoes.'
▪United States Vice President JD Vance expressed skepticism over reports that an American strike killed civilians at an Iranian wedding, but stated the incident would be investigated fully
▪United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on social media that the United States would destroy and sink Iranian oil tankers if Iran continues to shoot at United States Navy ships