The U.S. military announced Saturday that it had struck three Iranian oil tankers, stating that Navy warships had been targeted with missiles. The military warned that it would "if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet."
The strikes occurred a day after President Donald Trump had characterized the conflict as "small potatoes." This escalation marks a shift back toward active engagement after six months of intermittent conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28. Both nations have aimed to inflict military and economic damage, while negotiations have stalled.
According to the military's statement, a U.S. aircraft carrier and a destroyer evaded "multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks" during a regional patrol, with no U.S. personnel sustaining injuries. The statement indicated that two Iranian oil carriers were "permanently disabled" and a third, unladen vessel, was destroyed.
The U.S. military asserted that the targeted tankers were part of a clandestine network used to fund Iran's Revolutionary Guard and its regional proxies. Earlier, Iranian state television reported that four U.S. missiles had struck a tanker approximately six miles from Kharg Island, a key terminal for the country's oil exports. Kharg Island has been a recurring target during the conflict, including U.S. strikes on military installations there in March.
The U.S. specified that one tanker was hit near Kharg Island, another near Jask to the east of the Strait of Hormuz, and the unladen tanker was struck in the Gulf of Oman. The military also shared video footage it described as depicting the strikes.
"We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet," stated Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command.
These actions follow a resumption of hostilities nearly a week prior, after a period of relative calm. The conflict had previously seen attacks on the strait and adjacent Iranian communities. Earlier in the week, at least five individuals were killed during a U.S. bombardment in southern Iran, with one strike hitting a wedding.
The renewed fighting emerged after new U.S. efforts to exert economic pressure on Tehran, whose new hard-line leadership has indicated a resolve to persist following decades of sanctions. Meanwhile, negotiations intended to address Iran's nuclear program, a key catalyst for the war, disintegrated shortly after the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June. Tehran has instead focused its leverage on the strait, which is critical for global oil and natural gas shipments and was considered an international waterway before the war commenced.
The U.S. military has been involved in guiding ships through the strait as Iran asserts control and targets some vessels, though overall maritime traffic remains diminished.