KABUL (Pajhwok): US and Iranian forces exchanged fire with vessels in waters around Iran on Saturday, with the United States striking three Iranian oil tankers and Iran targeting three tankers it said were using unauthorized routes 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) fired ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships, Reuters reported.
“If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours,” Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper said.
The IRGC threatened further attacks on US military vessels and said it had targeted the three tankers, along with three US-linked vessels elsewhere.
The IRGC Navy warned vessels against using what it called unauthorized waterways, saying they would otherwise be targeted.
Iranian semi-official news agency Tasnim reported that four US missiles hit a tanker near Kharg’s anchorage. It said there were no casualties and the crew was being evacuated. Central Command said no US personnel were injured.
The exchange followed a week of escalating tensions in a conflict that began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. The fighting has disrupted global energy supplies and faced growing opposition among Americans ahead of November’s congressional elections.
President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to tighten economic pressure on Iran through expanded sanctions, while Trump has left open the possibility of further military action.
On Aug. 31, Trump posted an AI-generated video showing Kharg Island being “blown to smithereens.” Iranian authorities have warned of a strong response if the island is attacked.
Iran, OPEC’s third-largest producer, exported 90% of its crude through Kharg before the war. Oil flows have been disrupted since a US blockade of Iranian oil exports began in mid-April.
Trump said on June 11 that he wanted to take control of Kharg but later ruled out a military operation there. Tehran and Washington signed an interim agreement on June 17 aimed at ending the war.
The US blockade followed Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway that carried about one-fifth of global oil supplies before the war.
Brent crude futures closed at $96.28 a barrel on Friday, their highest level since July 24, amid concerns over Middle East supply disruptions.
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