US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers after Iran launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy warships, according to the US military. The strikes came after the American vessels evaded multiple Iranian missile attacks, with the US military later releasing footage of the operation.According to US central command (CENTCOM), Iran launched ballistic missiles at two US navy warships, an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer. The ships evaded multiple attacks, and no US personnel were injured in the incident.CENTCOM said the three tankers were part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that helps fund Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its regional proxies.The US military said the M/T Downy was struck off Kharg Island and permanently disabled. The M/T Stark 1 was also permanently disabled near Jask. The third tanker, M/T Kylo, also known as Noxen, was struck in the Gulf of Oman and completely destroyed after its crew was directed to abandon the vessel.CENTCOM released video of the strikes, showing US forces targeting the Iranian oil tankers.US central command commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the strikes were intended to impose an economic cost on Iran after the missile attacks on US navy ships.“If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost, taking out three of yours,” Cooper said.The US military said Iran had no effective means to defend the tankers during the operation.The strikes add another dimension to the ongoing US-Iran confrontation, with the US targeting vessels it says are connected to Iran’s oil trade and the financing of the IRGC.
