Iranian tanker reportedly hit by four US missiles near Kharg Island

An Iranian oil tanker was reportedly hit by four US missiles near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf on Saturday, according to Iranian media, in the latest escalation between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian semi-official news agency Tasnim said the tanker was anchored about six nautical miles (10 kilometres) from Kharg Island when it came under attack. It reported no casualties and said the crew was being evacuated from the vessel.

Tasnim said local authorities were investigating the extent of the damage and the circumstances of the incident, with further details expected later.

The Associated Press also reported the claim, citing Iranian state television, but noted that the report provided no evidence and did not include an official Iranian statement. US Central Command had not immediately commented.

Kharg Island is Iran's main oil export terminal and has historically handled about 90% of the country's crude exports. Oil shipments have already been disrupted by the US blockade of Iranian oil exports amid the wider conflict.

The reported tanker strike comes days after US forces carried out a new wave of attacks on Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz, ending a month-long pause in fighting. Iran subsequently launched retaliatory strikes against US-linked positions in several countries across the region.

The latest incident also follows heightened US rhetoric over Kharg Island. President Donald Trump said on August 31 that the island was being "blown to smithereens" in a social media post accompanied by an AI-generated video, although there was no evidence at the time that such an attack had occurred.

There was no immediate official confirmation from Washington or Tehran of the tanker attack beyond the Iranian media reports.