Iran live updates: US strikes 3 Iranian oil tankers in retaliation
Iran live updates: US strikes 3 Iranian oil tankers in retaliation
Sat, September 5, 2026 at 9:45 PM UTC
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President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Delegations from the U.S. and Iran entered negotiations in June aimed at a war-ending deal based on a memorandum of understanding signed by both countries.
The U.S. and Iran have nonetheless continued to exchange strikes, with the strategic Strait of Hormuz as the primary flashpoint.
Latest Developments
Sep 5, 5:44 PMIran navy says they attacked 3 oil tankers, US-linked vessels
Iran's IRGC navy said in a statement on Saturday that they have targeted three oil tankers which have been sailing through "an unauthorized route" in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as three vessels affiliated with the United States in other areas.
Sep 5, 10:31 AMUS strikes 3 Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for targeting warships
U.S. forces "permanently disabled" two Iranian oil tankers and "completely destroyed" another after Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles toward an American aircraft carrier and destroyer, U.S. Central Command said in a statement Saturday morning.
Neither of the U.S. ships were hit and no servicemembers were injured, CENTCOM said, though the fact that an aircraft carrier was apparently targeted is a notable provocation.
CENTCOM via AP via Getty Images - PHOTO: This screen grab made on Sept. 5, 2026, shows what CENTCOM says is US military forces striking an Iranian crude oil tanker, M/T Kylo (also known as the "Noxen"), in the Gulf of Oman, on Sept. 5, 2026.
"The three Iranian crude oil tankers are part of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies. Iran has no means by which to defend them," CENTCOM said in a statement.
"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," said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. "We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet."
-ABC News' Benjamin Siu and Luis Martinez
Sep 4, 4:07 PMTrump says Iran is 'small potatoes,' US has 'essentially' taken over Iran
President Donald Trump said the war in Iran is "small potatoes" and "not a big thing" for the U.S. and that the U.S. has "essentially" taken over Iran.
Sep 3, 5:55 PMIran accuses US of 'deliberately attacking civilian targets'
A spokesman for Iran foreign ministry accused the United States of "deliberately attacking civilian targets" in a post on his X account on Thursday.
Sep 3, 3:38 PM'I wouldn’t call it a war,' Vance says of Iran
Vice President JD Vance tried to downplay the war, saying it’s not a war at all, while speaking to reporters at the White House.
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"I wouldn't call it a war. Right now, there is no active shooting. I recognize there is -- there have been places where this is flared up, major combat operations," Vance argued.
"Again, major combat operations lasted for about six weeks. And since then, we destroyed, of course, their nuclear facilities with Midnight Hammer. With Epic Fury, we destroyed their defense industrial base for producing weapons. And also a lot of their conventional military. And then we made it harder for them to rebuild that nuclear program," he continued.
Pressed on when this will end, Vance put the onus on the Iranians saying they need to stop shooting at commercial ships, but he notably did not say what the plan is to get Iran to stop shooting.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance takes questions from reporters during a news briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, September 3, 2026 in Washington.
"I think the reality is, I don't know the answer to that question. You would have to ask the Iranians. When will the Iranians shooting at ships stop having an effect on world energy markets?" he said.
"What we're going to do is not depend on the Iranians behaving responsibly or negotiating in good faith. What we're going to do is use the tools that we have at our disposal to ensure that the American people, one, never have to deal with the threat of an Iranian nuclear program and to the world, energy markets are properly supplied," he said.
Vance repeatedly refused to put any kind of timeline on this conflict.
"The United States is the only country with the capability to ensure that those oil and gas ships get to market. Well, what I would say is it would be irresponsible for us to write out our strategy and our timeline for an Iranian nation that simply cannot honor its commitments and cannot stop shooting at commercial ships," he said.
-ABC News' Mary Bruce
Sep 3, 1:52 PM767 US troops wounded in war with IranThe number of U.S. troops wounded in the war with Iran increased to 767, according to an update on the Pentagon's casualty database made within the last 24 hours.
Sep 3, 12:19 PMKuwait condemns repeated Iranian attacks
Kuwait’s foreign ministry condemned Iran's repeated attacks describing them as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and a direct threat to its security and stability. The ministry said the attacks on Thursday targeted the safety of citizens and residents and constituted a grave breach of international law.
Sep 3, 11:50 AM'Actually treasonous': Trump pushes back on reports munition stockpiles are dwindling as war drags onPresident Donald Trump is protesting reports that say U.S. munition stockpiles are dwindling as the Iran war drags on, suggesting the media outlets that are publishing the story are "100% wrong" and "actually treasonous."
Sep 3, 8:46 AMTrump excuses Lutnick for saying there have been no US deaths in Iran war
President Donald Trump posted to social media on Thursday defending Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who erroneously said on Wednesday that no Americans had been killed in the ongoing war with Iran.In an interview with CNBC, Lutnick touted the administration's strategy of attempting an "economic choke out" of Iran and said that "there haven't been American deaths."Eighteen Americans have been killed so far in the conflict, which has now been active for more than six months.
Matt Ramey/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick speaks to the press following the G20 Innovation Ministerial at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, September 2, 2026.
Trump wrote on social media on Thursday that Lutnick had "Venezuela on his mind" when he made his remarks.Also on Thursday morning, Lutnick posted to X saying he "misspoke" and offering his condolences to the families of the 18 dead servicemembers."I was thinking about the Venezuelan military operation where no service members died," Lutnick wrote.-ABC News' Mary Bruce and Jennifer Pereira
Sep 3, 5:26 AMIran claims attacks on US bases in Kuwait, UAE
Iran's army claimed Thursday morning that it conducted overnight strikes on U.S. military bases in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.In statements carried by official and semiofficial Iranian news agencies, Iran's army said it used missiles and drones to target satellite communication systems, equipment depots and fighter jet hangars at Ahmed al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait.The statements also claimed attacks on troop positions and radar systems at Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE.-ABC News' Morgan Winsor
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Source: “AOL Breaking”
