Iran Says U.S. Missiles Hit Oil Tanker Near Kharg Island, Forcing Crew to Evacuate
Iranian outlets say four U.S. missiles struck an oil tanker about six nautical miles off Kharg Island, Iran’s main export hub, with the crew evacuating and no injuries reported. The incident brings declared U.S. firepower close to the center of Iran’s seaborne oil trade.
Iranian media say a U.S. missile strike has hit an Iranian oil tanker just off Kharg Island, placing direct American firepower close to the heart of Iran’s seaborne oil exports.
The Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reports that four U.S. missiles struck an Iranian tanker about six nautical miles from Kharg Island on the morning of 5 September. Tasnim says there were no casualties and that the crew is evacuating the vessel. The full extent of the damage to the ship is still being assessed.
Fars, another Iranian outlet, earlier reported sounds of explosions in the Kharg Island area. Al Jazeera, citing Iranian media, also relayed claims that an Iranian oil tanker near the island was attacked by the United States.
Kharg Island is described in these reports as the point from which Iran exports around 90% of its oil, making any incident nearby highly sensitive. Commentators note that the island lies roughly 500 kilometers from both the Strait of Hormuz and the coasts of Gulf states such as the United Arab Emirates, underscoring that this strike took place well inside Iran’s own export zone rather than in the narrow strait where many previous tensions have centered.
So far there have been no reports of injuries and no detailed public information on possible pollution, fire, or disruption to loading operations on Kharg itself. The ownership of the tanker, its cargo, and its precise condition all remain unclear in open sources.
The claims are based on Iranian and regional media; there has been no independent confirmation from U.S. officials in the material available. However, Tasnim’s statement that U.S. missiles were responsible gives the allegation additional weight inside Iran, where the agency is often used to signal the security establishment’s position.
How this incident develops will depend on several visible signals: whether Iranian authorities release imagery or ship-identification data, whether Washington confirms or denies any role, and whether traffic around Kharg Island changes in response. Any follow-on strikes at sea or new military advisories for shipping near the island would indicate that the confrontation around Iran’s export hub is deepening.
Sources
- OSINT