U.S. NAVAL FORCES ATTACK IRANIAN OIL PLATFORM U.S. warships attacked and destroyed an Iranian oil platform on Monday in retaliation for Friday's Iranian attack damaging a U.S.-flagged ship, U.S. Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger said. When asked how much was left of the oil platform, Weinberger said, "Nothing." "There was no Iranian reaction," he said. "... We consider this matter is now closed." Weinberger said four U.S. destroyers attacked the platform about 120 miles east of Bahrain in the central Gulf with fire at 0700 EDT, Weinberger said. "We chose a platform used by the Iranians to interfere with and be a source of potential attack on convoys...," Weinberger said at a Pentagon briefing. "We know it has been used indeed, to not only launch small boat attacks on shipping but to fire on U.S. helicopters... "It's removal will contribute significantly to the safety of U.S. forces in the future," Weinberger said of the U.S. Navy's operation to escort oil tankers through the Gulf. "We do not seek further confrontation with Iran but we will be prepared to meet any escalation of military actions by Iran with stronger countermeasures," Weinberger said. He said the 20 to 30 Iranian personnel on the oil platform were given a 20-minute warning to abandon the platform. "As far as we know they did abandon the site," he said. Weinberger was asked why the United States had chosen to attack an oil platform rather than Iranian Silkworm missile platforms blamed by Washington for Friday's attack.