US, Iran Trade Ship Attacks as Tehran Targets 6 Vessels After 3 Tanker Strikes
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Sep 5
US, Iran Trade Ship Attacks as Tehran Targets 6 Vessels After 3 Tanker Strikes
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Sep 5
Summary
Three Iran-linked oil tankers were disabled or destroyed by the US on Saturday, including one near Kharg Island and two in the Gulf of Oman, after Washington said Iranian forces had targeted two US warships.
Six vessels were then hit by Iran’s IRGC, according to state media—three US-affiliated ships and three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz that Tehran said used an “unauthorised” route.
No US troops were harmed, Centcom said, while Iranian media reported no casualties on the tanker near Kharg Island and said crews from the two Gulf of Oman tankers reached shore in lifeboats.
Kharg Island handles about 90% of Iran’s crude exports, and the Strait of Hormuz—normally carrying about 20% of global oil and LNG supplies—has been effectively closed since the war began in February.
The renewed exchange follows the expiry of a 60-day ceasefire and a week of resumed fighting that has pushed US diesel to $5.85 a gallon from $3.71 a year earlier.
As US strikes target the shadow fleet, what happens when the world's hidden oil supply chain suddenly goes up in flames?
With war-risk premiums skyrocketing, could the Strait of Hormuz become a commercial dead zone even without a full military blockade?
Can Oman's fragile maritime corridor truly shield global shipping from the escalating crossfire in the Gulf?
The 2026 Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Military Escalation, Oil Shock, and the Global Fallout of the U.S.-Iran War
Overview
The July 2026 crisis began when Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, causing a global supply deficit that sent insurance premiums and shipping rates soaring. This disruption forced Iraq’s oil exports to dry up, triggering emergency plans. As oil prices surged, India’s import bill rose sharply. Meanwhile, the killing of Supreme Leader Khamenei led to a power transition to his son Mojtaba, sparking open political conflict in Tehran. The revocation of a U.S. sanctions waiver caused the Iranian Rial to collapse, fueling widespread protests and prompting harsh domestic repression. Ambiguities in the ceasefire agreement led Iran to strike commercial vessels, collapsing the truce and prompting massive U.S. military retaliation.