CENTCOM announces targeting of three Iranian oil tankers

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced today that U.S. forces had targeted three crude oil tankers belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), following the launch of Iranian ballistic missiles toward two U.S. warships.

In a post on the social media platform X, CENTCOM said that U.S. forces carried out airstrikes against the three tankers today, noting that a U.S. warship and an aircraft carrier managed to evade several Iranian attacks, with no U.S. military personnel injured.

It added that U.S. forces disabled the oil tankers Dauny off the coast of Kharg Island and Stark 1 near Jask, while destroying the empty crude oil tanker Kilo, also known as Noxen, in the Gulf of Oman after its crew had been evacuated.

CENTCOM said the three tankers are part of a clandestine, multibillion-dollar network used to finance Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its regional proxies.

U.S. Central Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the United States would impose a “much greater economic cost” on the IRGC, adding: “We will not hesitate to defend U.S. forces, and if necessary, we will destroy Iran’s limited and vulnerable oil fleet.

ANHA