by Anadolu Agency on Wednesday, March 04, 2026, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that its naval forces struck a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Indian Ocean during ongoing operations, according to Iranian state‑linked media reports. The attack occurred approximately 650 kilometers off the Iranian coast, where the destroyer was reportedly engaged in routine maneuvers alongside a U.S. tanker, the IRGC statement said.
In its account, the IRGC said its naval units fired Qadr‑380 and Tala’iyeh missiles, claiming both the destroyer and the accompanying refueling vessel were hit, resulting in a large fire aboard each ship. The announcement framed the action as part of Operation True Promise 4, Iran’s designated campaign against U.S. military assets since hostilities expanded in the region.
The Iranian military has not released independent confirmation of damage assessments, casualty figures, or further operational details. Reports from state media indicated that the engagement was intended to deter foreign naval forces operating near Iranian waters.
There has been no immediate confirmation from U.S. military officials regarding a strike on the destroyer or the tanker in that sector of the Indian Ocean. In recent days, U.S. Central Command and allied defense spokespeople have generally refuted similar Iranian claims, asserting that missiles fired toward U.S. vessels on multiple occasions “didn’t even come close,” according to a recent U.S. dismissal of an Iranian strike claim.
The reported incident comes amid a broader, rapidly evolving conflict between Iranian forces and U.S. and allied militaries across the Middle East, with naval, air, and missile engagements reported in multiple theaters of operation.