US Central Command (Centcom) said it carried out retaliatory strikes against three Iranian crude tankers on 5 September, claiming that two vessels were “permanently disabled” and a third was “completely destroyed”.
The strikes came after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles towards two US Navy warships, according to Centcom.
The two vessels described by the US military as permanently disabled are both Iranian-flagged and owned and managed by The National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC). They are the 2004-built VLCC Downy and the 2000-built Suezmax Stark 1.
Downy was hit while at anchorage off Kharg Island in the northern part of the Arabian Gulf. Iranian reports said four missiles struck the tanker and that there were no casualties.
Stark 1 was attacked near Jask, east of the Strait of Hormuz. A video circulating on social media reportedly shows US forces warning the tanker and giving its crew three minutes to abandon the vessel before its stern was attacked.
Centcom subsequently released video footage showing the two tankers being struck in their stern sections, with debris falling into the surrounding waters.
The third tanker, Kylo, was also shown in the footage. The vessel was repeatedly hit by projectiles along its deck, with flames rising from the deck and spreading across the surface of the water from the hull.
Centcom said Kylo was attacked in the Gulf of Oman after its crew had been warned to abandon the vessel.
The 2001-built Suezmax Kylo is listed in the Equasis database as falsely flagged in Comoros. Its owner and manager are listed as unknown.
“Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours,” said Centcom commander Adm. Brad Cooper.
“We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet,” he added.
A UKMTO advisory concerning the incidents said the organisation was unable to confirm whether there had been any casualties or environmental impact.
The latest strikes come as Iran continues to target international shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to control access to the strategic waterway.
On 31 August, an attack killed two seafarers aboard the Bahri VLCC Sidr.
The US has also imposed a blockade of Iranian ports. According to US claims, as of 3 September, American forces had intercepted 87 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two vessels to conduct compliance checks.
