US CENTCOM warns Iran: oil fleet could be destroyed over attacks

Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, issued a direct warning to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, vowing to impose a “much greater economic cost” if American vessels are targeted, and stating that Washington could destroy Iran’s oil fleet if necessary.

Cooper said: “Let the message be clear to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard: If you fire on two of our ships, we will impose a much greater economic cost by destroying three of yours. We will not hesitate to defend US forces, and if required, we will destroy Iran’s limited and vulnerable oil fleet.”

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The US Central Command chief’s remarks came as CENTCOM announced that US forces carried out strikes on three Iranian crude oil tankers belonging to the Revolutionary Guard on September 5.

CENTCOM explained that the strikes followed the Revolutionary Guard’s launch of ballistic missiles at two US warships that were patrolling in territorial waters.

It added that a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer managed to evade multiple Iranian attacks described as “unprovoked,” confirming that no US personnel were harmed.

As part of the US response, forces permanently disabled the oil tanker “M/T Downy” off Kharg Island and “M/T Stark 1” near Jask.

They also completely destroyed the crude oil tanker “M/T Kylo,” also known as “Noxen,” in the Gulf of Oman after targeting multiple vital sites to fully disable it, following instructions for the crew to evacuate.

CENTCOM stated that the three tankers are part of a multi-billion dollar “shadow” network that funds the Revolutionary Guard and its regional proxies, adding that Iran “has no means to defend them.”