Iran Reports US Missile Strike on Tanker Near Kharg Island
Iranian media report a US missile hit a tanker near Kharg Island, while the IRGC claims it downed an MQ-1 drone over the Strait of Hormuz.
Tensions between Tehran and Washington escalated sharply on Tuesday after Iranian media reported that a US missile struck a small Iranian tanker near Kharg Island, a critical hub for the country's oil exports. The Tasnim news agency said the vessel was hit approximately four miles from the island, with no casualties reported. The claim has not been independently verified.
The reported attack came shortly after local media described hearing explosions on Kharg Island, which handles a significant share of Iran's crude shipments. Two additional blasts were reported in the southern port of Jask, heightening concerns over the security of Iranian energy infrastructure.
In a separate development, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it intercepted and destroyed an advanced MQ-1 drone over the Strait of Hormuz. State television quoted the IRGC as saying a new domestic defence system, operating under Iran's integrated air defence network, was used. The operator of the drone was not identified, though the MQ-1 is flown by a limited number of nations, including the United States.
Iranian Armed Forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi warned that any attack on Iranian oil tankers would trigger retaliatory strikes against US bases across the region. He claimed US forces had issued evacuation warnings to tankers ahead of possible military action.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Iran of being behind recent Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, describing the Yemeni rebels as proxies of Tehran. The remarks came as the Houthis launched a fresh offensive near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital maritime chokepoint.
Washington also expanded economic sanctions, targeting 36 entities and individuals linked to Iran's aviation sector, which the US alleges is used to transport weapons and illicit cargo. Despite the military tensions, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reported "significant progress" in talks with Oman over the administration of the Strait of Hormuz.