The United States has issued a fresh warning to Iran, threatening to destroy and sink Iranian oil tankers if Tehran launches further attacks against American naval vessels.
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued the warning on Saturday, September 5, 2026, shortly after American forces struck three Iranian oil tankers following what Washington described as ballistic-missile attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against two U.S. Navy warships.
Hegseth, in a statement on X, said the United States would respond directly by targeting Iran’s oil fleet if American ships came under fire. 
“It’s simple: if Iran shoots at U.S. ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers,” Hegseth said, adding that Iran only needed to refrain from attacking the U.S. Navy.
He further claimed that Iran’s oil tanker fleet was vulnerable because, according to him, Tehran lacked the naval and air capabilities necessary to protect the vessels.
“Iran’s oil tanker fleet is defenseless — Iran has no navy or air force. Our planes, ships & subs can strike them all,” Hegseth said, referring to areas under the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
US strikes three Iranian tankers
The warning came after U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that American forces had struck three Iranian crude oil carriers.
CENTCOM said the action followed missile attacks by the IRGC against a U.S. aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer. According to the command, both American warships successfully evaded the missiles and no U.S. personnel were injured.
The American military identified two of the vessels as M/T Downy, which was struck off Kharg Island, and M/T Stark 1, targeted near Jask.
Both vessels were described by CENTCOM as “permanently disabled.”
A third tanker, M/T Kylo, also known as Noxen, was attacked in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM said the crew was warned to abandon the vessel before it was destroyed.
The U.S. military said the tankers were connected to what it described as a multibillion-dollar “shadow network” allegedly used to finance Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and its regional allies.
US threatens wider action
The commander of U.S. Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, also warned that Washington would impose an even greater economic cost on Tehran if Iranian forces continued attacking American vessels.
“If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours,” Cooper said.
He added that the United States would not hesitate to defend its forces and, if necessary, destroy Iran’s “limited and exposed oil fleet.”
The latest threats signal a potentially significant expansion of the maritime confrontation between Washington and Tehran, with Iranian oil shipments increasingly becoming a direct target of U.S. military pressure.
Iran condemns attacks
Iran has condemned the American strikes on its oil tankers, describing the attacks as illegal and warning that Washington and its allies would bear responsibility for the consequences of continued attacks.
Iranian authorities have also warned that further attacks on Iranian vessels could trigger retaliation against American interests in the region.
The escalation is particularly significant because it is unfolding around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.
The waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a critical route for global oil supplies. Continued attacks on commercial vessels could therefore have wider implications for international energy markets and global shipping.
With the United States now openly threatening to target Iran’s oil fleet in response to attacks on its Navy, the latest confrontation could mark a new and more dangerous phase in the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict.
