U.S forces struck three Iranian crude oil carriers on Sept. 5 after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attempted to launch ballistic missiles toward two U.S. Navy warships.

“A U.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed in an X post on Sept. 5.

The missiles did not strike the Navy warships, and no Americans were hurt in the attack.

In response, CENTCOM revealed that it permanently disabled the IRGC crude oil carriers M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask.

The third crude oil carrier, called the M/T Kylo, which is sometimes called “Noxen,” was completely destroyed by U.S. forces in the Gulf of Oman.

“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,” Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in a Sept. 5 statement.

“We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet.”

CENTCOM suggested that Iranian crude oil tankers that were struck on Sept. 5 were part of a “multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies,” but it noted that Iran had “no means by which to defend them.”

Iranian state media reported that several explosions were heard near Kharg Island, where the M/T Downy was permanently disabled by U.S. forces on Sept. 5, and claimed that only a “small” Iranian tanker was targeted.

State media stated that officials from the Iranian regime promised to “respond strongly to any attack.”

U.S. forces permanently disabled the M/T Downy, an IRGC crude oil carrier off the coast of Kharg Island, Iran, on Sept. 5, 2026. (U.S. Central Command / X )

The Sept. 5 escalation happened two days after state media alleged that Iranian forces launched missile and drone attacks on U.S. military facilities in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates on Sept. 3.

Tehran suggested that the strikes were retaliation for recent U.S. attacks that killed Iranian civilians and military personnel.

The Epoch Times reached out to U.S. Central Command for comment.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Sept. 2 that the U.S. struck newly rebuilt Iranian radar systems, missile facilities, and equipment linked to laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. 

Trump warned that the United States was prepared to attack again “anytime we want.” 

Evgenia Filimianova contributed to this report.