U.S. Central Command imagery shows the Iranian tankers Derya, Horizon 1, Kaviz and Charminar during U.S. strikes on Sept. 8, 2026. (Courtesy USCENTCOM)
U.S. forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers Tuesday after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the past two days, according to U.S. Central Command.
CENTCOM said the warship successfully evaded both attacks and continued its patrol. No American personnel were injured.
In response, U.S. forces struck the Kaviz, Charminar, Horizon 1 and Riesco in the Gulf of Oman, along with the Deryanear Iran’s Kharg Island. CENTCOM said crews were ordered to abandon the vessels before they were struck and rendered inoperable.
The strikes bring to eight the number of Iranian tankers attacked by U.S. forces since Sept. 5.
On Saturday, CENTCOM struck the Downy off Kharg Island and Stark 1 near Jask and sank the Kylo, also known as Noxen, in the Gulf of Oman. Those strikes followed Iranian ballistic missile attacks targeting a U.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer.
CENTCOM says the tankers are part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network used to fund the IRGC and its regional proxies.
UK Maritime Trade Operations issued a new advisory Tuesday after receiving a report involving a merchant vessel in the strait. UKMTO said the vessel was “subject to interaction as part of ongoing military activity in the region.” Authorities are investigating the incident. The advisory did not identify the vessel or provide further details about the interaction.
The latest exchange comes as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue to escalate.
Earlier Tuesday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards threatened to target ships in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports that host U.S. forces and warned crews to evacuate, according to Iranian state media.
The latest U.S. strikes suggest the tit-for-tat campaign is accelerating, with Washington increasingly targeting Iran’s oil-exporting fleet in direct response to attacks on American warships.
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