US and Iranian forces exchanged fire with vessels in waters around Iran on Saturday, with three Iranian oil tankers reportedly struck by US forces and three other tankers targeted by Iran over alleged unauthorised movements through the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command said its forces struck three Iranian vessels, including one near Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran’s oil exports. The attacks came after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships.
“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,” US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper said.
The IRGC subsequently threatened to intensify attacks on US military vessels in the region. It later said its forces had targeted the three tankers, along with three other vessels linked to the US in separate locations.
The IRGC Navy warned vessels against attempting to pass through what it described as unauthorised waterways, saying those making “suspicious movement” could be targeted.
Iranian semi-official news agency Tasnim also reported that four US missiles struck a tanker near Kharg Island’s anchorage. Citing local sources, it said there were no casualties and the vessel’s crew was being evacuated.
Central Command said no US personnel were injured in the attacks.
The latest exchange follows a sharp escalation over the past week, threatening to further intensify a conflict that began after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in February. The fighting has disrupted global energy supplies and drawn growing opposition from Americans ahead of congressional elections in November.
Trump’s Threats Over Kharg Island
While US President Donald Trump’s administration has been moving towards greater economic pressure on Iran through expanded sanctions, Trump has continued to leave the possibility of military action open.
On Aug 31, Trump posted an AI-generated video on social media depicting Kharg Island being destroyed, alongside a one-line message. Iranian authorities have warned that any attack on the island would trigger a strong response.
Iran is the third-largest producer in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and had been exporting around 90% of its crude through Kharg Island before the war. Those flows have been disrupted since the US imposed a blockade on Iranian oil exports in mid-April.
Trump has previously threatened action against Kharg Island. On June 11, he said he wanted to take control of the island before later saying a US military operation there was not currently being considered.
That came days before Tehran and Washington signed an interim agreement on June 17 aimed at ending the war.
Any US attack on Kharg Island could place further pressure on Iran’s oil sector and wider economy, which has already been hit by the US naval blockade.
The US imposed the blockade after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route that carried about one-fifth of global oil supplies before the war.
Brent crude futures rose to their highest closing level since July 24 on Friday, reaching US$96.28 a barrel, as escalating tensions in the Middle East fuelled concerns over global energy supplies.
