US military sinks Iranian oil tanker in Gulf of Oman

The USA repel attacks on its warships. In return, they take out three tankers during attacks. According to the US military, one of the ships is now at the bottom of the sea.

Iran repeatedly attacks oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Now the US military is also targeting oil tankers. (Symbolic image) Photo: Uncredited/AP/dpa

Tampa. An Iranian oil tanker attacked by the United States has sunk in the Gulf of Oman, according to the US military. The sinking of the “M/T Kylo” was thanks to the “precision and professionalism” of the US soldiers, the responsible US regional command Centcom explained on Platform X that night. The tanker was therefore not loaded with oil. A video clip released by the US military appeared to show the hit ship first listing, then sinking.

The US military announced on Saturday that it had attacked three Iranian oil tankers. The ship “M/T Kylo” was hit in “several crucial places” to make it unusable. The crew had previously been ordered to abandon the tanker, it said. The military's information could not initially be independently verified.

Iran attacks US warships

According to the US military, the attacks were in retaliation for “several” Iranian attacks on American warships in the region. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard fired ballistic missiles at a US aircraft carrier and a destroyer. The ships were able to evade and there were no injuries, Centcom said.

Iranian media also reported the attacks on the US warships, citing the Revolutionary Guards. This forced them to flee, according to the interpretation in Tehran. The admission of the attacks by Centcom shows the offensive power of the Revolutionary Guards and the failure of the American aggressors, reported the Tasnim news agency. The Iranian information on the consequences of the attacks could not initially be independently verified.

US attack on tanker off strategically important island of Kharg

According to the US military, one of the other two tankers attacked by the US military was off the island of Kharg in the Persian Gulf, which is important for Iranian oil exports, and the third ship was in the Gulf of Oman. It was said that the two tankers had become permanently unusable as a result of the shelling.

Kharg is the most important transshipment point for Iranian crude oil exports. According to reports, more than 90 percent of Iran's exports go there. These are normally the most important source of income for the government in Tehran. Currently, Iran can hardly export any oil due to a US naval blockade. Iran, in turn, is largely blocking the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz with attacks and threats. The strait is of great importance for the export of oil, liquefied natural gas and fertilizer from the Persian Gulf states.

After Saturday's attacks, Centcom commander Brad Cooper issued a stark warning to the Revolutionary Guard: "If you fire on two of our ships, we will inflict an even greater economic cost on you - by taking out three of your ships." US forces are prepared to destroy Iran's limited and unprotected oil fleet.

US Treasury Secretary: Blockade of Iranian oil exports is working

More than six months after the start of the war, US President Donald Trump's government is increasingly relying on economic pressure to extract concessions from Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told US broadcaster Fox News that the blockade of Iranian ports was working as planned. Iran can currently no longer export oil. “We will suffocate the regime,” he said, referring to the government of the Islamic Republic.

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