Iran Claims Missile Strike on U.S. Oil Tanker in Persian Gulf

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on March 5 that its naval forces launched a missile strike on a U.S. oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf.

Iranian state broadcaster IRIB quoted the IRGC as saying the tanker was hit earlier in the day and was burning following the strike.

The claim has not been independently confirmed.

The announcement came as the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center reported an earlier incident off the coast of Kuwait in which a tanker was targeted.

The reported attack occurred amid escalating military activity between Iran, the U.S., and Israel. Iranian forces have carried out strikes on U.S. and Israeli military assets since the two countries launched operations against Iran on Saturday.

The IRGC Navy also claimed a strike on a U.S. destroyer in the Indian Ocean a day earlier.

Iran has warned that the Strait of Hormuz is under its control and that commercial vessels linked to the U.S., Israel, or European countries will not be allowed to pass through the waterway. Iranian officials said ships from countries supporting those states could also face restrictions.

In remarks reported by Iranian media earlier this week, Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari, a senior adviser to the commander-in-chief of the IRGC, said: “We will attack and set ablaze any ship attempting to cross.”

The strait connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean and is a key route for global oil and gas shipments. Maritime intelligence firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported that seaborne traffic through the strait dropped by about 80% on Sunday after multiple tanker strikes and rising security concerns. Several maritime insurers also cancelled coverage for vessels operating in the area.

The tanker attack follows a naval incident in which a U.S. submarine torpedoed and sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka. The Iranian warship had recently participated in a multinational naval exercise and international fleet review hosted by India in Visakhapatnam.

Iranian reports said 87 people were killed in the sinking. The Sri Lankan navy rescued 32 sailors, while several others were reported missing.

The United States has responded to the regional escalation by announcing plans to escort tankers in the Persian Gulf. U.S. President Donald Trump also ordered insurance coverage for maritime trade in the area.