Arabian Post Staff -Dubai
US Central Command said on Saturday that an American aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer evaded multiple Iranian attacks while patrolling regional waters and that no US personnel were hurt. The command said it retaliated by permanently disabling two tankers and destroying a third vessel after its crew had been told to abandon ship.
The two disabled ships were identified as the M/T Downy, off Kharg Island, and the M/T Stark 1, near Jask. CENTCOM said the unladen M/T Kylo, also known as Noxen, was destroyed in the Gulf of Oman after being hit at several critical points.
CENTCOM described the vessels as part of a multibillion-dollar network used to generate revenue for the IRGC and allied armed groups. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, said Washington would impose a higher economic cost when American forces were attacked and would defend US personnel and ships.
Iran disputed Washington’s account of responsibility and said its forces subsequently targeted three oil tankers and three American vessels. Those Iranian claims could not be independently verified. A spokesperson for Iran’s joint military command also warned that attacks on US warships would become more severe if Washington continued interfering with Iranian shipping.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the tanker strikes as a war crime and said the consequences of continued US military and economic pressure would rest with Washington and its allies. Tehran has repeatedly accused the United States of unlawfully restricting Iranian commercial traffic and oil exports.
The exchange adds a maritime dimension to a renewed cycle of US-Iran fighting that intensified this week. On September 1, CENTCOM said it had completed strikes on IRGC air-defence sites, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications facilities after what it called attempted attacks on commercial shipping and US service members.
The latest tanker strikes are significant because they move beyond attacks on military installations to assets directly linked by Washington to Iran’s oil trade. US sanctions and naval pressure have already constrained Iranian exports, while Tehran has sought to maintain sales through networks of tankers and intermediaries operating outside conventional channels.
Kharg Island, near where the Downy was hit, is central to Iran’s crude export system. Iranian television said four US missiles struck a tanker about 10 kilometres from the island and that crew members were evacuated. No deaths were reported from the tanker attacks.
The confrontation also raises risks for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Iran has sought to exert greater control over traffic through the narrow waterway, while US naval forces have continued escort and security operations. Commercial movements remain below normal levels as shipowners assess military threats and insurance costs.
The strikes came as diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict remained stalled. US Vice President JD Vance said this week that renewed negotiations were unlikely while Iran continued attacks on shipping, while President Masoud Pezeshkian’s government has publicly supported a negotiated end to the fighting.
Disagreements over Iran’s nuclear programme remain unresolved. A memorandum of understanding reached in June failed to produce a durable settlement, and Western governments have been considering further steps at the United Nations over Iran’s nuclear obligations.
Iran’s leadership has signalled that it will continue resisting US pressure. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Sunday that any further attacks would draw a faster and more painful response, underscoring the risk that action against commercial and military vessels could trigger further exchanges.
Follow Arabian Post
Select Arabian Post as your preferred source on Google and MSN News for trusted business news and Arab politics and updates.
