US destroys three Iranian oil tankers after Iran fired ballistic missiles at a US carrier and destroyer, no US casualties

U.S. Central Command struck three Iranian crude oil tankers on Saturday, Sept. 5, after Iran's Revolutionary Guard fired ballistic missiles at a U.S. aircraft carrier and a destroyer. Both American ships dodged the missiles. No U.S. personnel were hurt. It is the sixth month of the on-and-off war that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. “If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost — taking out three of yours.” — Adm. Brad Cooper, U.S. Central Command (TS: CNN reported the same week that the fighting has killed 18 U.S. service members and wounded more than 100 since it began Feb. 28.) The three ships: * M/T Downy, off Kharg Island: permanently disabled * M/T Stark 1, near Jask: permanently disabled * M/T Kylo, Gulf of Oman: destroyed What next. Iran's foreign ministry called the strikes a "war crime" and its armed forces threatened more attacks on U.S. vessels. The Revolutionary Guard claims it hit six ships in return, which CENTCOM has not confirmed. Trump said the same day the U.S. "may hit" Iran's underground nuclear site at Pickaxe Mountain "very soon."

What the strikes hit, and what Tehran admits:

• M/T Kylo was empty when it was destroyed; CENTCOM has not said whether the two disabled tankers carried cargo
• Tehran state media confirmed only one tanker hit, near Kharg Island, and reported no immediate Iranian military response