US launches direct strikes on IRGC tankers in Strait of Hormuz
In a significant escalation of the "tanker for tanker" policy, US military drones targeted and struck two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) tankers anchored off the Iranian coast. The strikes, which reportedly hit the vessels' engine rooms, mark the first direct retaliatory action against Iranian government shipping since the conflict intensified. US officials stated the operation aims to degrade the IRGC's ability to lay mines and launch maritime attacks in the strategic waterway.
Date: September 1, 2026
Location: Hormozgan, Iran
Conflict: US-Iran Conflict
Category: naval
Severity: CRITICAL
Source: Axios