US and Iranian forces exchanged attacks on vessels in waters around Iran on Saturday, in a major escalation that saw three Iranian oil tankers struck by US forces and Iran claiming it had targeted three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command said it struck three Iranian vessels, including one near Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, after the 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," Reuters cited Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East saying.
The IRGC responded by threatening intensified attacks against US military vessels in the region and later said it had targeted the three tankers as well as three US-linked vessels in other areas.
"Do not be deceived by the 'terrorist' U.S. military and refrain from any suspicious movement aimed at passing through unauthorized waterways," the IRGC Navy said in a statement carried on Iranian state television. "Otherwise, you will be targeted."
Iranian semi-official news agency Tasnim reported that four US missiles struck a tanker near Kharg Island’s anchorage. Local sources cited by the agency said there were no casualties and that the vessel’s crew was being evacuated.
Central Command said no American personnel were injured.
The latest exchange follows a sharp escalation over the past week in a conflict that began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, disrupting global energy supplies and intensifying concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz.
Kharg Island at Centre of Tensions
The confrontation has also renewed focus on Kharg Island, which is critical to Iran’s oil industry and was the route for about 90% of the country’s crude exports before the war.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has been seeking to increase economic pressure on Tehran through expanded sanctions, while Trump has continued to leave open the possibility of further military action.
On Aug 31, Trump posted a message on social media accompanied by an AI-generated video depicting Kharg Island being “blown to smithereens”. Iranian authorities have warned of a strong response if the island is attacked.
Trump had previously threatened action against Kharg Island, saying on June 11 that he wanted to take over the island before later saying a US military operation there was off the table.
The confrontation comes as Iran’s oil industry and wider economy face mounting pressure from a US naval blockade imposed in mid-April.
The blockade followed Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically vital waterway that carried about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply before the war.
Global energy markets have already reacted to the heightened tensions, with Brent crude futures closing at US$96.28 a barrel on Friday, their highest level since July 24, amid renewed concerns over disruptions to global supplies. - September 6, 2026
