The United States and Iran have intensified their confrontation around the Strait of Hormuz, with both sides carrying out attacks against vessels as the wider conflict continues to disrupt regional shipping and energy flows. The latest escalation came on September 5, 2026, when US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers following Iranian missile attacks on two US Navy vessels.
US Central Command said its forces targeted three Iranian vessels, including tankers near Kharg Island and Jask, as well as a vessel in the Gulf of Oman. Washington said the strikes were retaliation for Iranian ballistic missiles launched at a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer. No US personnel were reported injured.
Iran subsequently said its forces had targeted three oil tankers travelling through what it described as an unauthorised route in the Strait of Hormuz, along with three US-linked vessels elsewhere. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also warned commercial vessels against suspicious movements near the waterway. Some of Iran’s claims have not been independently verified.
The attacks mark a significant expansion of the maritime dimension of the conflict, with oil tankers and commercial shipping increasingly caught up in military retaliation. The United States has justified its tanker strikes by alleging that the vessels were connected to networks financing Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, while Tehran has condemned the attacks and vowed further retaliation.
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the confrontation. Before the conflict, the strategic waterway carried roughly 20% of global oil supplies, making any sustained disruption a major risk for energy markets and international shipping. Vessel movements through the strait have remained well below normal levels, according to maritime tracking data cited by Al Jazeera.
The renewed attacks are already adding pressure to global energy markets. Brent crude closed at $96.28 a barrel on September 4, its highest level since July 24 and significantly above prices before the conflict intensified. Disruptions to Iranian exports and uncertainty over tanker movements are increasing concerns over the availability and cost of crude and refined products.
For the shipping industry, the escalation raises the risk of longer diversions, higher war-risk insurance premiums, tighter security measures and further disruption to tanker and container traffic across the Gulf and adjacent routes. With both Washington and Tehran signalling that they are prepared to retaliate, shipping operators face continued uncertainty over safe passage through one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.