US military says it destroyed three Iranian oil tankers

The US military said it had struck and destroyed three oil tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after American warships came under Iranian fire. "Following Iran’s failed attacks, CENTCOM permanently disabled the IRGC crude oil carriers M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask," Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on X. "American forces also completely destroyed the unladen crude oil carrier M/T Kylo... in the Gulf of Oman, striking the vessel in multiple critical locations to render it inoperable after the crew was directed to abandon ship," it continued. Video released by Centcom showed huge fireballs and thick plumes of flames erupting as projectiles struck the vessels. The three ships targeted were "part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies", it said. "Iran has no means by which to defend them," it added.