State Media Reports U.S. Missile Strike on Iranian Oil Tanker Near Kharg Island

Iranian state media reported on Saturday that U.S. forces had struck an Iranian oil tanker off the coast of Kharg Island, following the most intense exchange of fire between the two sides in recent weeks.

The United States has not confirmed these reports, and a military spokesperson declined to comment promptly.

Kharg Island, located in the Persian Gulf, serves as Iran’s main export hub for oil, which has faced export restrictions for weeks due to a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Iranian news outlets, including the state broadcaster, reported that at least one U.S. missile struck the tanker and circulated images showing black smoke billowing from the vessel.

Tasnim, a semiofficial outlet linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said the incident occurred Saturday morning and that the tanker’s crew survived and were being evacuated.

The reports coincide with heightened focus on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway on Iran’s southern coast, which has become a focal point of the Iran‑U.S. conflict. Once a major conduit for oil and other essential commodities, the strait has been a strategic objective for Iran since it was targeted by the United States and Israel earlier this year.

The U.S. Navy has assisted vessels in navigating a southern route through the strait, close to Oman’s coast, prompting Iranian retaliation. On Monday, two oil tankers were struck within minutes of each other as they attempted to pass.

After roughly a month of relative calm, Iran and the United States resumed hostilities in late August. This week, U.S. forces launched a series of strikes in response to Iranian attacks on ships and American personnel in the region.

One of the strikes hit a wedding in southern Iran, resulting in five fatalities and dozens of injuries, according to Iranian officials.

President Trump renewed his threat to Iran on Friday, stating that the United States could strike Pickaxe Mountain—a suspected Iranian nuclear facility—very soon.

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