Iran launches missile strikes on US destroyer in Indian Ocean: IRGC

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly launched a missile attack on a US destroyer deployed in the Indian Ocean early Wednesday (March 4), according to a statement from the IRGC.

The operation, described as part of “Operation True Promise-4,” targeted the warship while it was reportedly refueling from an American tanker.

The IRGC said it used domestically developed “Qadr-360” and “Talayieh” missiles in the strike, reports Tasnim News Agency, a semi-official news agency in Iran associated with IRGC.

Iranian authorities claimed both the destroyer and the tanker were engulfed in flames, producing massive smoke visible across the Indian Ocean.

The action was described as a defensive measure against perceived threats from the United States and Israel.

Tensions between US and Iranian naval forces in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean have escalated in recent weeks.

Military analysts warn that such a direct attack could further destabilise the already volatile Middle East region.

The US Department of Defense has not yet issued an official comment regarding the incident.