US sinks M/T Kylo in Gulf of Oman after Iran attacks American warships

New Delhi: The United States has sunk an Iran-linked crude oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, US Central Command (Centcom) said on Sunday, in the latest maritime escalation between Washington and Tehran. Centcom identified the vessel as M/T Kylo and said its crew had been ordered to abandon ship before it sank.

In a post on X, Centcom said the tanker had been struck by US forces and later sank in the Gulf of Oman, sharing footage of the operation. Marine traffic tracking data identified M/T Kylo as a Comoros-flagged crude oil tanker operating in the region.

The sinking followed Saturday’s US strikes on three Iran-linked oil tankers after Iranian forces targeted an American aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer. Centcom said the US warships evaded the attacks and that no American personnel were injured.

The three tankers targeted by the US were M/T Downy near Kharg Island, M/T Stark 1 near Jask and M/T Kylo in the Gulf of Oman. Centcom said the vessels were connected to a multi-billion-dollar network that allegedly generates funds for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its regional proxies.

The Kharg Island strike was particularly significant as the island hosts Iran’s main oil export termina, RNA Media reported. Iranian state media said there were no casualties in the attack on the tanker near the island, while crews of the targeted vessels were taken to safety in lifeboats.

Iran retaliated by claiming attacks on three oil tankers travelling through the Strait of Hormuz and three vessels it described as affiliated with the US. The IRGC also said it targeted a US unmanned surface vessel attempting to enter the strait and warned ships against using routes it considers unauthorized.

The IRGC separately claimed that it had fired several ballistic missiles at a US aircraft carrier and a destroyer, accusing the vessels of harassing Iranian ships and participating in a naval blockade. Centcom said its ships had successfully avoided the earlier Iranian attacks.

The latest exchange has further heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has sought to control shipping routes during the conflict. The US has maintained that the waterway remains open and has supported commercial vessels using a southern route through Omani waters.

The US Centcom commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, warned Iran that further attacks on American vessels would bring additional economic costs. His warning came after US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth said the US would destroy Iranian oil tankers if Iran continued firing at American ships.

The maritime confrontation comes after the US resumed attacks last week following a period of relative calm. The renewed fighting has also included Iranian strikes on US-linked targets across the region.

Separately, Israel said on Sunday that it had launched strikes in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah drones targeted Israeli troops operating inside its self-declared security zone. The Israeli military also ordered residents of Arab Salim to evacuate ahead of further strikes.

The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, meanwhile spoke with his Saudi and Turkish counterparts as diplomatic efforts continued amid the expanding regional tensions. The calls came as the latest US-Iran exchanges raised fresh concerns over the wider security situation.

Iran also reported a separate road accident involving a fuel tanker in western Iran that left 11 people dead and seven injured. The tanker exploded after a collision on a route linking Sanandaj County with Hamedan County, according to Iranian state media.