US forces have struck Iranian oil tankers after Tehran threatened to target ships in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard ordered tanker crews to flee “immediately” as the explosive stand-off over the Gulf escalated.
The US has launched strikes on Iranian tankers Credit: CENTCOM/AFP
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard ordered tanker crews to flee “immediately” Credit: US Central Command CENTCOM/AFP via Getty Images
The warning came after Iran launched ballistic missiles at US warships on Saturday, according to Washington.
American forces struck three Iranian oil tankers in retaliation.
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The latest strikes targeted multiple tankers linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard around Kharg Island and near Jask, east of the Strait of Hormuz.
A US official told Al-Monitor: “American forces have struck multiple Iranian tankers tied to the IRGC in response to more attempted missile attacks on a US Navy warship.”
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Iranian media reported a small tanker was hit off Kharg Island, with its crew evacuated and no casualties reported.
A second tanker was also hit near Jask, with its crew said to have escaped safely.
The IRGC then issued a chilling warning to crews in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports.
“All oil tankers in Kuwait and Bahraini waters must be evacuated immediately,” it said.
It warned the vessels would be targeted whether they were “at anchor or at the docks”.
Iran has also boasted of a new Qassem Basir ballistic missile, claiming it has been “tested” against a US warship.
The White House has rejected Iran’s proposed “exclusion zone” around the Strait of Hormuz Credit: Getty
It comes as US Forces struck three oil tankers
The missile is said to have greater range and accuracy and carries a half-tonne warhead.
Meanwhile, the White House has rejected Iran’s proposed “exclusion zone” around the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington says the crucial waterway remains open and under US control.
The US military also says it has cleared mines from the strait, while 94 commercial vessels have been redirected and three disabled.
The tit-for-tat attacks come as the US blockade of Iranian ports continues, piling pressure on Tehran’s oil exports.
The new barrage follows US forces blasting three Iranian oil tankers last week after missiles were reportedly launched towards navy warships.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it “permanently disabled” M/T Downy off the coast of Iran’s Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask, east of the Strait of Hormuz.
American forces also “completely destroyed” the unladen crude oil carrier M/T Kylo in the Gulf of Oman, CENTCOM said.
Trump has raised the prospect of a US strike on Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site Credit: Splash
US Central Command said it “permanently disabled” two tankers and “completely destroyed” a third
The statement, posted on X, said the tankers were part of a shadow network funding Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and its armed proxies.
Kharg Island has been repeatedly targeted during the war, including US strikes on military sites there in March.
The strikes came nearly a week after the US and Iran resumed attacks following a month of relative calm.
Trump has raised the prospect of a US strike on Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site as the conflict with Tehran rumbles on.
The US president brushed off the widening war as “small potatoes for us”.
Iran’s nuclear programme was one of the key issues behind the conflict that erupted in February.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve the row collapsed shortly after Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in June.
Tehran has since gained leverage through the Strait of Hormuz – a vital artery for oil and gas shipments.
US forces are now helping vessels navigate the waterway as the Iranian regime tightens its grip and continues targeting ships.
