U.S. Central Command Claims Destruction of 5 Iranian Oil Tankers
On September 8, Xinhua News Agency reported from Washington (reporters Huang Qiang and Xu Jianmei) that the U.S. Central Command announced on social media that after Iran launched an attack on a U.S. Navy ship, the U.S. military destroyed five Iranian oil tankers that same day.
The report stated that in the past two days, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had twice used ballistic missiles to attack a U.S. Navy warship. The ship evaded the Iranian attacks and continued its patrol mission, with no U.S. personnel injured.
Central Command stated that in response to these failed attacks by Iran, the U.S. military destroyed four oil tankers belonging to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Gulf of Oman and destroyed one tanker near Khark Island. Before these vessels were struck, the U.S. military had instructed the crew to abandon ship.
Earlier that day, U.S. media cited officials saying that the U.S. military attacked multiple oil tankers associated with the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps near Khark Island in response to Iran's attempt to use missiles to attack a U.S. Navy warship.
On the 5th, U.S. Central Command issued a statement saying that the U.S. military sank one Iranian oil tanker and rendered two Iranian oil tankers "permanently incapable of navigation" in response to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacking a U.S. aircraft carrier and a missile destroyer.
On September 8, 2023, U.S. Central Command destroyed five Iranian oil tankers in the Oman Gulf and near Hark Island in response to missile attacks from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. The U.S. Navy, which was targeted but unharmed, had previously warned the crew of the tankers to abandon ship before the strikes. This operation follows a series of missile attacks aimed at U.S. naval vessels by Iran.
- U.S. Central Command destroyed 5 Iranian oil tankers on September 8, 2023.
- The action was in response to missile attacks by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
- The U.S. Navy was not harmed during the attacks.
- The U.S. had previously warned the crew to abandon the vessels before the strikes.
- This operation follows earlier engagements involving Iranian missile attacks on U.S. naval vessels.