Iran Retaliates After Alleged US Tanker Strike in Strait of Hormuz, Military Claims Damage to American Vessels

Iranian military officials stated that the country’s armed forces launched a rapid counteroffensive against US naval units following what Tehran described as an attack on Iranian vessels near the Strait of Hormuz.

Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said on Thursday that Iranian forces responded immediately after the US military allegedly targeted an Iranian oil tanker traveling from the coastal waters near Jask toward the Strait of Hormuz.

According to Iranian officials, another Iranian vessel was also attacked while entering the strategic waterway opposite the UAE’s Fujairah port. Tehran further accused US forces and allied regional partners of conducting airstrikes on civilian locations in southern Iranian coastal provinces, including Bandar Khamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island.

In his statement, Zolfaghari described the US military as “aggressive, terrorist, and outlaw,” accusing Washington of violating an existing ceasefire agreement.

Iranian armed forces reportedly launched retaliatory strikes against US military vessels positioned east of the Strait of Hormuz and south of Bandar Chabahar. Iranian authorities claimed the operation caused significant damage to American warships and forced several vessels to withdraw from the area.

A senior Iranian military official told IRIB that Iranian missile and naval forces carried out a coordinated response after what was described as an unprovoked US aerial attack on an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman. The official said US forces sustained direct hits during the confrontation.

The latest escalation comes shortly after US President Donald Trump reportedly suspended the so-called “Project Freedom,” an initiative aimed at reopening navigation through the Strait of Hormuz after only 48 hours of operation.

Regional tensions remain high as both sides exchange accusations over military actions in one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.