By Euronews Persian
Published on 05/09/2026 – 11:39 GMT+2•Updated 11:43
Iranian media sources have reported that a US military strike hit an Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island on Saturday morning, in close proximity to the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
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Initial reports indicated that multiple explosions were heard in the area and that the tanker is currently being evacuated. There have been no casualties reported at this stage.
Neither US nor Iranian officials have issued any official statements regarding the incident.
This development comes one day after Tehran allegedly fired anti-ship missiles at vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media offered no further specifics regarding the intended targets or the extent of any damage caused during these claimed strikes.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran escalated once again last Sunday, when US forces conducted targeted strikes on Iranian rocket launchers positioned within the Strait. The waterway remains a critical energy transit corridor and has remained central to ongoing negotiations between the two governments since the broader Iran conflict erupted in late February.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it had executed what it described as “limited, precise action” against Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) minelaying operations, citing what it characterized as an “imminent threat” to maritime traffic in the region.
The IRGC acknowledged that strikes had impacted facilities on Larak Island and pledged a retaliatory response, subsequently launching its own attacks targeting American military installations throughout the Middle East.
CENTCOM forces then carried out an additional wave of strikes on Tuesday, this time targeting what it identified as IRGC air defense installations, mine-laying capabilities, radar arrays, maritime assets, and communications infrastructure.
According to official statements, this operation was launched in direct response to “recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”