〰❌〰 “CENTCOM after 2 U.S. Navy warships were targeted by the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed 3 IRGC oil tankers”

TAMPA, Florida — The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on September 5 targeted three tankers carrying Iranian crude oil after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired ballistic missiles at two U.S. Navy warships conducting patrols in regional waters.

An American aircraft carrier and a missile-equipped destroyer successfully escaped from multiple attacks without any prior provocation by Iran. None of the U.S. forces were harmed.

After Iran’s unsuccessful attacks, CENTCOM permanently disabled the tankers carrying Iranian crude oil for the IRGC, the M/T Downy near the coast of Khark Island and the M/T Stark 1 near Jask. U.S. forces also completely destroyed the empty tanker M/T Kylo (also known as “Noxen”) in the Arabian Sea; the vessel was hit in several critical locations after the crew was ordered to abandon the ship so that it would be rendered unusable.

The three Iranian tankers are part of a multi-billion-dollar shadow network that finances the IRGC and its regional proxy forces. Iran has no means to defend them.

Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of CENTCOM, said: “Let the message to the IRGC be clear: if you fire at our two ships, we will impose an even heavier economic cost on you — we will destroy your three ships. We will not hesitate in defending American forces and, if necessary, we will destroy Iran’s limited oil tanker fleet that is vulnerable to harm.”