IRGC Claims Missile Strike Damaged US Warships; Claims Remain Unverified

TEHRAN, Sep 6:  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Sunday that it launched ballistic missiles at a US aircraft carrier and a Navy destroyer in waters near the Strait of Hormuz, claiming both vessels were damaged and subsequently withdrew from the area.

According to a statement carried by Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the IRGC Aerospace Force carried out the missile attack after accusing the US warships of harassing Iranian vessels and participating in what Tehran described as a maritime blockade.

The IRGC claimed that both US warships sustained damage and left what it called the “engagement area.” It also said US Central Command (CENTCOM) had acknowledged that two American Navy vessels were targeted.

The United States, however, gave a different account of the incident. CENTCOM said Iran launched ballistic missiles toward two US Navy warships operating in regional waters, but the vessels successfully evaded the attacks. It said no American personnel were injured.

The US military also said its forces subsequently struck three Iranian crude oil tankers.

In a separate statement, the IRGC Navy said it had attacked a remotely operated US military vessel that was allegedly attempting to enter an area of the Strait of Hormuz that Tehran considers protected. The Guards did not provide details about the type of attack or say whether the vessel was damaged.

The IRGC reiterated its claim that the strategic waterway is under Iranian control and warned that any further US military action would trigger a stronger response.

“The United States must know that there is no other way than to leave the region and abandon its evil actions,” the IRGC said.

Earlier Saturday, the IRGC Navy also claimed that it had targeted three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and three US-linked vessels elsewhere, describing the actions as retaliation for alleged American attacks on Iranian tankers.

The latest claims could not immediately be independently verified.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, through which a significant portion of global oil and gas shipments pass, making any escalation in the waterway a major concern for regional security and international energy markets.

The confrontation comes amid an ongoing conflict that began after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February, with subsequent military exchanges raising tensions across the wider Middle East.