[54482] Tension at a peak: US disabled Iranian oil tankers; Tehran threatens revenge

Tension in the Gulf: US struck the Iranian tanker fleet

The tension in the Persian Gulf reached a peak on May 9, 2026, following offensive activity by the US against the Iranian tanker fleet. According to US Central Command, American forces disabled two oil tankers that tried to violate the American blockade in the Hormuz area.

Abu Ali Express - a channel presenting a critical position toward Iran and the Revolutionary Guards - reports that satellite images reveal that "4 Iranian oil tankers were struck and disabled" by the US in the Gulf of Jask. According to the report, some of the tankers are sitting ablaze and oil leaks were spotted in the area, which led the channel to conclude that "Iran is bleeding oil." At the same time, the Iranian news agency "Fars" (via Abu Ali Express) confirmed the attack and stated that there are "10 wounded and 5 missing" among the Iranian crew members.

In response to the escalation, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards Navy issued an explicit threat: "Any attack on an Iranian oil tanker or commercial ship will lead to a heavy attack on one of the American centers in the region and on enemy ships."

In the background of the events, it emerges that Iran has been trying for a long time to bypass American sanctions. According to a report on Hadashot 360 | All The News, which relies on "The Washington Post," Iran performs oil transfers using the "ship-to-ship" method on the high seas while turning off tracking systems, in order to hide the origin of the cargo and its final destinations. This activity is carried out under close US intelligence surveillance, which is now leading to a direct and dangerous confrontation in the waters of the Gulf.