The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Sunday that the oil tanker M/T Kylo sank in the Gulf of Oman after being targeted in a U.S. operation against three oil tankers linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Tehran, meanwhile, announced retaliatory attacks targeting three tankers and three vessels linked to the United States.
CENTCOM said in a post on X: “Thanks to the precision and professionalism of U.S. forces, the M/T Kylo now rests on the bottom of the Gulf of Oman, joining the Iranian navy in the depths of the sea.”
The tanker sank after CENTCOM said U.S. forces struck it at several critical locations, rendering the vessel completely inoperable after its crew had been ordered to abandon ship.
The escalation comes after a period of relative calm, as tensions between Washington and Tehran intensify amid increased U.S. economic pressure on Iran and stalled diplomatic efforts.
Three Iranian Tankers Targeted by U.S. Forces
CENTCOM said Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched ballistic missiles toward two U.S. warships conducting patrols in the region.
Following the Iranian attacks, U.S. forces permanently disabled the oil tankers M/T Downy near Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask, while destroying the empty M/T Kylo in the Gulf of Oman, according to CENTCOM.
The U.S. military command also released video footage showing flames rising from vessels it said had been struck by projectiles during the operations.
CENTCOM described the three tankers as part of a “multibillion-dollar shadow fleet that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies,” while confirming that no U.S. personnel were injured.
The command added that a U.S. aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded the Iranian attacks.
Washington Warns of Further Escalation
U.S. Central Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the United States would impose a greater economic cost if its vessels were attacked, stressing that U.S. forces would continue to defend themselves.
Cooper warned that American forces “will not hesitate” to take action against what he described as Iran’s limited and vulnerable oil fleet if necessary.
Tehran, meanwhile, announced that it had targeted three tankers and three vessels linked to the United States, signaling a widening confrontation that now extends beyond military targets to commercial shipping and oil tankers operating in the region.
The escalating attacks have raised growing concerns over maritime security in the Gulf of Oman and surrounding waters, with the confrontation potentially affecting energy markets and global oil shipping.
