US says it hit Iran oil tankers helping finance ‘regional proxies’

US struck Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Iran’s Kharg Island.

This screen grab made on September 5, 2026 from handout video footage released by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) on X (formerly known as Twitter) shows what CENTCOM says is US military forces striking an Iranian crude oil tanker, M/T Kylo (also known as the "Noxen"), in the Gulf of Oman, on September 5, 2026. [AFP]

The United States military said it struck three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy warships in regional waters.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said an American aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer evaded multiple Iranian attacks. CENTCOM said its attack on Iranian oil carries came after the IRGC fired ballistic missiles towards two US warships “patrolling regional waters”. It said no personnel had been injured.

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The US strikes hit Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Iran’s Kharg Island. The US military said it disabled two Iranian crude oil carriers and destroyed a third, targeting vessels it claims were part of a multibillion-dollar network that finances the IRGC and its “regional proxies”.

“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,” CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said. “We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet.”

CENTCOM did not immediately provide further details about whether the strikes on the tankers caused casualties.

The strikes come a day after US President Donald Trump said the conflict, which has resulted in the deaths of 18 US service members and a spike in global energy prices, is “small potatoes” . Both sides have tried to inflict economic and military pain on the other, with negotiations having collapsed to end the six-month war that the US and Israel began. Almost a week ago, the US and Iran exchanged attacks after a month of no direct confrontations.

美国在阿曼湾和伊朗哈尔克岛附近袭击了伊朗油轮。

这张截取自美国中央司令部（CENTCOM）于2026年9月5日在X（前身为Twitter）上发布的视频片段的屏幕截图显示，美国中央司令部称，美军于2026年9月5日在阿曼湾袭击了伊朗原油油轮“基洛”号（又名“诺克森”号）。[法新社]

美国军方称，周六伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队（IRGC）向两艘美国海军军舰在地区水域发射弹道导弹后，美军袭击了三艘伊朗油轮。

美国中央司令部（CENTCOM）称，一艘美国航空母舰和一艘导弹驱逐舰躲过了伊朗的多次攻击。中央司令部表示，在伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队向两艘“在区域水域巡逻”的美国军舰发射弹道导弹后，美军对伊朗油轮发动了攻击。中央司令部称，没有人员伤亡。

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美国空袭的目标是阿曼湾和伊朗哈尔克岛附近的伊朗油轮。美军称，空袭使两艘伊朗原油运输船失去动力，并摧毁了第三艘。美军声称，这些船只隶属于一个价值数十亿美元的网络，该网络为伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队及其“地区代理人”提供资金。

“向伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队传达的信息很明确：如果你们攻击我们的两艘舰艇，我们将让你们付出更高的经济代价——摧毁你们的三艘舰艇，”中央司令部司令布拉德·库珀海军上将说。“我们将毫不犹豫地保卫美国军队，并在必要时摧毁伊朗数量有限且易受攻击的石油舰队。”

美国中央司令部没有立即提供有关袭击油轮是否造成人员伤亡的更多细节。

就在美国总统特朗普称这场冲突“微不足道”的第二天，美以两国发动了空袭。这场冲突已导致18名美军士兵丧生，并推高了全球能源价格。双方都试图在经济和军事上打击对方，而旨在结束这场由美以挑起的、持续六个月的战争的谈判已经破裂。大约一周前，在经历了长达一个月的没有直接冲突之后，美伊两国再次发动了袭击。