The United States struck five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island on Tuesday after accusing Tehran of twice targeting a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles.
Iran retaliated by launching missiles at US forces stationed at Jordan’s Al Azraq air base, marking a sharp escalation in the ongoing conflict.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the American warship successfully evaded both attacks and no US personnel were injured. The targeted tankers, including M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1, M/T Riesco and M/T Derya were allegedly linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) oil-smuggling network. Crews were ordered to abandon the vessels before US forces rendered them inoperable.
CENTCOM forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers, Sept. 8, after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the past two days. The U.S. warship successfully evaded the attempted Iranian attacks and… pic.twitter.com/Gi8a2tloN1
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 8, 2026
Jordan said its air defences intercepted 18 of the 20 Iranian missiles, while two landed in unpopulated areas. The IRGC claimed its strikes destroyed hangars used by US fighter jets, though the claim was not independently verified. It also threatened tankers in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports.
Iran confirmed two tankers were hit, near Jask and Kharg Island, with crews evacuated safely. Kharg handles about 90% of Iran’s crude exports.
Oil prices briefly approached $100, with Brent at $99.41 a barrel. The escalation has further disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
The US has also sanctioned 36 Iranian entities, while Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis attacked Saudi energy facilities, reportedly injuring 73 people.
CENTCOM separately said an older US underwater drone had malfunctioned more than a day earlier and was not seized by Iran.
