Iran's IRGC warns of strikes on Kuwaiti and Bahraini oil tankers

September 9, 2026 at 03:24 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced preparations for strikes on oil tankers in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports and anchorages, calling on crews to leave their vessels immediately. The threat follows U.S. military strikes that disabled Iranian oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. The White House has described its strategy as a 'tanker-for-tanker' doctrine.

Key Facts

Iran's IRGC warned crews of all oil tankers in Kuwaiti and Bahraini port areas to leave their vessels immediately, whether anchored or docked, as they will become targets.
The U.S. military previously struck and disabled several Iranian oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, including near Khark Island and Jask.
The White House described its strategy as a 'tanker-for-tanker' doctrine, a mirror response to attacks on commercial vessels by pro-Iranian forces.
Iranian media reported that the IRGC's Aerospace Force attacked a U.S. aircraft carrier and destroyer with ballistic missiles over the weekend, causing damage and forcing them to leave the conflict zone.

IRGC Threat

The IRGC announced preparations for strikes on oil tankers in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports and anchorages, calling on crews to leave immediately. The statement warned that all oil tankers in those areas, whether at anchor or docked, would become targets for attacks. The threat was framed as retaliation for U.S. military actions against Iranian oil tankers.

U.S. Strikes

American forces in the Middle East struck several Iranian tankers linked to the IRGC, according to a Washington source cited by NBC News. The strikes were in response to IRGC attempts to attack a U.S. ship in the region, which did not cause American casualties. Earlier, U.S. forces disabled Iranian oil tankers near Khark Island and Jask in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. The White House characterized the approach as a 'tanker-for-tanker' doctrine.

Regional Escalation

Foreign media reported that the situation does not involve a full blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had not planned to close. However, there is a high risk of a prolonged chain of mutual strikes, creating a constant threat to commercial shipping. Iranian media reported that the IRGC's Aerospace Force attacked a U.S. aircraft carrier and destroyer with ballistic missiles over the weekend. The attacked U.S. vessels sustained damage and left the conflict zone due to fear of further strikes, according to Iranian media.