An Iranian tanker came under attack near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf on Saturday morning. Iranian media reported that there were no casualties in the incident.
Images received from the scene showed that the tanker’s cooling system managed to extinguish the fire during the initial stages of the attack, according to Iranian reports.
Two other Iranian oil tankers were targeted by the U.S. military in waters off Jask in Hormozgan Province, according to the reports. One of the vessels was empty, while the other was carrying a cargo of crude oil.
The crews of the two tankers were evacuated to shore aboard lifeboats, Iranian media reported.
The third vessel, identified as the empty tanker Kylo, also known as Noxen, was reportedly destroyed in the Gulf of Oman.
CENTCOM claimed the attacks were carried out in response to Iranian missile strikes targeting two U.S. warships. The command confirmed that three Iranian oil tankers had been attacked and disabled.
The strikes mark the first reported U.S. attacks on Iranian oil tankers in the Persian Gulf since the beginning of the war, adding a new dimension to the confrontation and raising concerns over the security of Iran’s maritime energy infrastructure and commercial shipping.
US Embassy Issues Regional Security Alert
Following the attacks, the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain issued a security alert urging American citizens in Bahrain and across the region to exercise heightened vigilance.
The embassy also warned U.S. citizens to prepare for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions, amid heightened regional tensions.
The developments come as the conflict has increasingly affected maritime security and critical energy infrastructure in the region, particularly around the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Meanwhile, a senior Iranian military official said Iran had withstood attacks despite facing an adversary with extensive technological and military capabilities.
Brigadier General Habibollah Sayyari, deputy chief of the Iranian Army for Coordination Affairs, said Iran should take pride in having stood firm against an enemy “armed with every type of technology.”
Describing the conflict as a test of will and endurance, Sayyari said the outcome of a war should ultimately be judged against the objectives set by the attacking side.
“When an enemy fails to achieve its predetermined objectives in war, it signifies defeat,” he said on Saturday, according to Iranian media.
Hossein Amiri - ahmad shirzadian
