Middle East – U.S. Central Command forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers on September 8 after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over the previous two days.

The U.S. warship evaded both attempted attacks and continued patrolling regional waters. No American personnel were harmed.

CENTCOM said it destroyed the M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminar, M/T Horizon 1 and M/T Riesco in the Gulf of Oman, as well as the M/T Derya near Kharg Island. Crews were directed to abandon the vessels before they were struck and rendered inoperable.

CENTCOM said the tankers were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network funding the IRGC and its proxies.

The 43-second video shows the September 8 tanker strikes, including a bomb penetrating the deck of the Riesco and disabling hits on the other named vessels.

The strikes followed an earlier wave on September 5, when CENTCOM hit three carriers after IRGC ballistic missiles were directed toward a U.S. carrier and destroyer. The vessels were the Downy off Kharg, Stark 1 near Jask and Kylo, also reported as Noxen, which was sunk in the Gulf of Oman.

The two waves brought the named U.S. tally to eight hulls. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the policy as tit-for-tat, with each attempt on a U.S. warship costing Iran tankers.

After the September 8 strikes, IRGC Navy warnings instructed tanker crews near Kuwait and Bahrain ports to leave their ships. UKMTO also issued a merchant-vessel advisory in the strait.

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