The US-Iran conflict has intensified with Central Command (CENTCOM) releasing footage showing an Iranian oil tanker sinking in the Gulf of Oman after being struck by US forces. According to CENTCOM, the M/T Kylo (also known as the Noxen) was engulfed in flames before disappearing beneath the water after its crew abandoned the vessel. The footage shows the Comoros-flagged tanker sinking after being targeted on Saturday as part of Washington's stepped-up strikes against Iranian maritime and oil-related assets. CENTCOM confirmed that the M/T Kylo sank in the Gulf of Oman today and joined Iran's navy at the bottom of the sea thanks to the precision and professionalism of American service members. The strikes came after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles toward two US Navy warships, with an aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer successfully evading the attacks and no American personnel injured.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claimed it had targeted six vessels in response to US strikes, including three oil tankers allegedly using unauthorized routes through the Strait of Hormuz and three additional U.S. vessels in other areas. As per Reuters, Iranian authorities also warned that continued U.S. military action could trigger a broader response. Admiral Brad Cooper, Head of U.S. Central Command, issued a clear warning: 'Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours.' President Donald Trump has escalated his warnings, declaring that any retaliation would trigger a devastating response, stating 'If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran!'.
The latest military action comes amid ongoing tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy transit routes. According to Clash Report, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has accused the US of attempting to use the southern route through the strait in violation of an agreement, saying Tehran would prevent such efforts. He claimed that before the war, at least 120 vessels crossed the strategic waterway each day, while current traffic of just one or two ships remains significantly below those levels. Ghalibaf maintained that Iran's Armed Forces were challenging US efforts to move limited numbers of vessels through the strait and claimed full control over the waterway. The war has led Iran to militarize and largely close the strait, through which about a fifth of global oil production typically passed before the hostilities began.
Oil markets reacted to the growing uncertainty, with Brent crude prices rising amid concerns that further military escalation could threaten regional shipping and oil flows. According to NDTV Profit, the developments have raised fresh concerns over the security of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil route. Despite administration claims of increased oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz, independent data reveals the recovery remains limited. Vice President JD Vance said the US escorted about 15 million barrels of oil on Wednesday, while Energy Secretary Chris Wright previously reported 17 million barrels carried through the strait on Monday with US Navy assistance. However, shipping data shows only 102 transits last week and 126 the week before, compared with 130 or more per day before the war. TankerTrackers.com estimates 5 million barrels per day have exited the strait on average over the past 28 days. The strikes mark a significant expansion of US military action against Iranian commercial shipping and have raised concerns over the potential impact on oil supplies and shipping through the region.
The latest military action represents the latest chapter in a conflict that began on February 28 when the U.S. and Israel launched attacks across Iran. According to TIME, Trump described the operation as a 'massive and ongoing' campaign intended to eliminate what he called imminent threats from the Iranian regime. The war has been complicated by U.S.-Iranian negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program failing to produce an agreement and Iran's deadly crackdown on nationwide protests. Trump had accused Iran of rebuilding its nuclear capabilities following U.S. and Israeli strikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025, though Iran has consistently denied seeking a nuclear weapon. The conflict has also involved Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei being killed in the opening salvo, leading to Iran retaliating by firing missiles at Israel, U.S. military bases and other sites across the Middle East.
