Video/ Tensions escalate in the Persian Gulf as US strikes three Iranian vessels: “The cost to Iran will be even greater

US forces struck three Iranian vessels carrying crude oil, the US military announced on Saturday. The attack came after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy warships.

Tehran has yet to issue an official statement on the incident. However, Iranian state media reported earlier that a tanker had been attacked by the US near Kharg Island, one of Iran’s main oil export hubs.

The latest incident could lead to a further escalation of the maritime conflict in the Persian Gulf and surrounding areas. Iran is attempting to stop vessels from passing through the Strait of Hormuz without its authorization, while the United States has stepped up attacks on Iranian maritime assets.

Earlier this week, the US and Iran exchanged strikes for the first time in more than a month. The renewed military action has raised concerns that the two sides could enter another cycle of retaliation.

According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer managed to evade several attacks launched by Iran.

Following those attacks, the US military said it had “permanently disabled” two Iranian crude oil tankers. They were the M/T Downy, which was struck near Kharg Island, and the M/T Stark 1, which was near the city of Jask.

Another Iranian tanker, the M/T Kylo, was attacked outside the Persian Gulf. The vessel was empty and, after being struck several times by US forces, was “completely destroyed” with the aim of putting it out of operation.

CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the message to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard was clear: any attack on US vessels would impose an even greater cost on Iran.

Iranian news agencies reported earlier on Saturday that a tanker had been struck by US missiles near Kharg. The Tasnim news agency reported that the vessel was hit by four projectiles, but the attack caused no casualties.

An audio recording verified by CNN shows that, before the strike, a US military aircraft communicated with the tanker’s crew over an emergency channel. The crew was instructed to move away from the rear of the vessel.

The confrontation between Iran and the US remains volatile and unpredictable, as both sides seek to exert control over the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for the global oil supply.

Kharg Island, off the Iranian coast, has typically handled around 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports. It has been attacked several times during the conflict, while US President Donald Trump has previously threatened to take control of the island.

Maritime traffic data and satellite imagery show that around 20 Iranian tankers are anchored near Kharg. Because of the US naval blockade, they have been unable to leave the Gulf, and many of them are fully loaded with oil.

According to vessel-tracking services, more than 50 Iranian tankers are in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

On Thursday, US Vice President JD Vance said the conflict should not be described as a “war.” He said that, despite the latest escalation, there had been no “active exchange of fire.”

Vance did not set a deadline for ending the conflict and suggested that the decision to bring the confrontation to an end rested with Iran. According to him, the conflict began six months ago with joint US-Israeli airstrikes.