The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire for the third time in a week amid a recent escalation of fighting, even as the White House has sought to downplay the severity of the war with Iran.
American forces struck three Iranian crude oil carriers after Iran launched ballistic missiles at two U.S. Navy warships on Sept. 5, according to U.S. Central Command.
A U.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer “successfully evaded” the Iranian attacks and no American personnel were injured, Central Command said.
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near the beach of Bandar Abbas, Iran, September 5, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
The U.S. and Iran also traded fire on Aug. 30 and Sept. 1, which marked an end to a month-long pause in fighting.
The latest strikes come just a day after President Donald Trump described the war in Iran as “small potatoes” and “not a big thing” in remarks from the Oval Office.
Vice President JD Vance also recently pushed back on using the term “war” to describe a conflict that has killed 18 U.S. service members and resulted in nearly 800 injuries over more than six months.
The U.S. strikes on Sept. 5 permanently disabled one crude oil carrier off Kharg Island and another near the Iranian coastal city of Jask. American forces also “completely destroyed” an unladen crude oil carrier in the Gulf of Oman, Central Command announced on social media.
“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,” Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in a statement.
“We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet,” Cooper added.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US strikes Iranian oil tankers after Iran targets 2 Navy warships
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