US destroys three Iranian tankers in response to attack on aircraft carrier

US armed forces disabled three Iranian oil tankers in response to an attack on American warships in the Persian Gulf. This was reported by US Central Command (CENTCOM).

According to CENTCOM, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) first attacked an American aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer. "The American aircraft carrier and destroyer successfully repelled several unprovoked Iranian attacks. There are no casualties among US personnel," the command said in a statement posted on the social network X.

Following Iran's failed attacks, American forces launched a retaliatory strike. The IRGC tankers M/T Downy, off the coast of Kharg Island, and M/T Stark 1, near Jask, were disabled. In addition, the empty tanker M/T Kailo (also known as "Noxen") was destroyed in the Gulf of Oman — the vessel was struck at several critical points, rendering it inoperable, and its crew was ordered to abandon ship.

Iranian state television had earlier reported that four American missiles hit an Iranian tanker near Kharg Island, and that explosions were heard from the Persian Gulf, though no smoke was visible.

Iran's "shadow fleet" tankers

According to CENTCOM, the targeted vessels belonged to what is known as Iran's "shadow fleet," which helps finance the activities of the IRGC and its allies in the region.

"Let the message to the IRGC be crystal clear: if you fire on two of our ships, we will destroy three of yours," said CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper. He added that the US would not hesitate to defend its forces and, if necessary, would destroy Iran's "limited and undefended" oil fleet.

AI-generated video and the strike on Kharg Island

A few days earlier, US President Donald Trump had published an AI-generated video that he claimed showed the destruction of Kharg Island. The National Iranian Oil Company subsequently denied that any strike had taken place there, stating that operations at the island's oil facilities had not been disrupted.

Before the war, Kharg handled the export of roughly 90% of all oil shipped out of Iran. The island lies about 30 kilometers off the Iranian coast, and Trump has repeatedly threatened Tehran with its destruction or seizure.

The US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28. In response, Tehran effectively blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, both through threats and repeated attacks on tankers and cargo vessels. The strait is a key route for transporting oil, gas and other goods from Persian Gulf countries, and Iranian attacks in the region have also targeted America's Arab allies. A US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in June, intended to end the war, has since collapsed, with both sides accusing each other of violating it.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz