The Iranian oil tanker M/T Riesco has sunk in the Gulf of Oman after being struck by U.S. forces, according to a report from The Zioneer Intelligence Desk. Four other Iranian tankers were disabled with precision strikes to their engine rooms. The report follows earlier indications that five tankers had been destroyed in the ongoing U.S. maritime campaign against Iranian oil exports.
The Zioneer Intelligence Desk reports that the Iranian oil tanker M/T Riesco has sunk in the Gulf of Oman after being struck by U.S. forces, and four other Iranian tankers were disabled with precision strikes to their engine rooms. The development, reported overnight Wednesday, follows a series of U.S. maritime actions against Iranian oil exports and provides specific details on the fate of five tankers previously reported as destroyed.
Earlier Wednesday, at 00:18 Jerusalem, the Eye on Zion briefing noted that the IRGC had evacuated tanker crews from Gulf ports after U.S. retaliatory strikes. At 01:17 Jerusalem, two reports emerged: one citing i24NEWS that five oil tankers had been destroyed following Iranian missile launches at U.S. ships, and another that the U.S. military had released footage documenting strikes on five tankers. At 01:24 Jerusalem, a report citing CENTCOM confirmed the destruction of Iranian crude carriers after IRGC ballistic missile attacks. The thread thus evolved from unverified claims to official confirmation and visual documentation. The current report adds that one tanker sank and four were disabled, specifying the M/T Riesco as the vessel that sank.
As The Zioneer reported on June 8 and June 10, U.S. forces have been systematically disabling Iranian-affiliated tankers attempting to bypass the maritime blockade, including the M/T Marivex and M/T Settebello. President Trump has warned of daily strikes and declared U.S. control over the Strait of Hormuz, framing the campaign as part of a "maximum pressure" doctrine to halt Iranian oil exports. The sinking of the Riesco represents a significant escalation in that campaign.
The report is based on a single source and has not been independently verified. No information is available on casualties or the condition of the crews. The four disabled tankers may be repairable, but their engine room damage effectively halts their operation.
5 developments
- StrongIRGC evacuates tanker crews in Kuwait, Bahrain after US strikes; attacked tankers moved near Jask
- StrongIranian state TV reports IRGC struck oil tanker deviating from Iran-designated shipping lane
- DevelopingIranian report: IRGC strikes ships that attacked Iran with missiles
- DevelopingIranian channel claims US attacked IRGC fast boats, killing fighters
Source and signal
- Open-source intake