WASHINGTON — The U.S. military said Saturday that it destroyed three oil tankers linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after Iranian forces fired on American warships.
U.S. Central Command said American forces disabled two crude oil carriers and destroyed a third vessel in separate operations.
CENTCOM said its forces “permanently disabled” the M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and the M/T Stark 1 near Jask. Both vessels carried crude oil and had links to the IRGC, according to the command.
American forces also destroyed the unladen crude oil carrier M/T Kylo in the Gulf of Oman, CENTCOM said. U.S. forces struck the vessel in multiple locations after directing its crew to abandon ship, leaving the tanker inoperable.
CENTCOM described the strikes as responses to what it called failed Iranian attacks on U.S. warships.