Iranian Navy Boat Attempts to Blind Two US Navy Vessels
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy cruising on international waters. Source: US Navy
Tensions are soaring between the United States and Iran after an Iranian patrol boat was caught attempting to blind US Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz’s international waters.
The relationship between the US and Iran has consistently remained tense despite President Biden’s attempts to extend an olive branch. Iran has previously accused the US of encouraging the protests in Iran prompted by the death of Masha Amini, who died while in police custody.
Just last week, the Iranian government demanded that the US soccer team be eliminated from the 2022 World Cup prior to their tournament in Qatar after the team intentionally switched the icon of the Iranian flag on their social media accounts and added one without the emblem of the Islamic Republic in support of the protests occurring in the Middle Eastern nation.
The outraged Iranian government accused the US soccer team of removing the name of God in the flag, and amid the controversy, the US soccer team was forced to change the icon back to Iran’s original flag to avoid further conflict.
With these recent events in mind, the hostility between the two countries seems to have only increased. Last week, the US Navy intercepted a fishing trawler witharound 50 tonnes of ammunition in the Gulf of Oman from Iran to Yemen, likely to be delivered to pro-Iranian Houthi rebels.
The US Navy seizing more than 50 tonnes of ammunition from Iran to Yemen. Source: Kevin Frus/US Navy
On Monday night, the Iranian patrol boat, which is confirmed to be a part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, was seen directing its lights towards two US Navy ships. One of these ships being an expeditionary sea base platform while the other being a guided missile destroyer.
It was reported that the Iranian boat advanced towards the US Navy ships at a close proximity, causing panic and forcing the US ships to deliver audible warnings to prevent any further activity.
The United States Central Command stated that the Iranian boat acted in “an unsafe and unprofessional manner.”
This is not the first time the Iranian Navy boats have clashed with the US Navy on international waters.
This September, the Iranian Navy stole two US Navy drones in the Red Sea. After almost a day of negotiating, the Iranian Navy ultimately decided to release the drones and return them back to the US Navy.
A month prior to that, there was friction on the Persian Gulf when the Iranian Navy ventured out to seize a US Navy drone.
The incident was witnessed and obstructed by the US Navy who sent out a sea hawk helicopter and coastal ship to prevent the Iranian Navy from succeeding, then continued with their operations.
General Michael Kurilla, The commander of US Central Command, responded to this incident with harsh words, “The professionalism and competence of the crew of the USS Thunderbolt prevented Iran from this illegal action. This incident once again demonstrates Iran’s continued destabilizing, illegal, and unprofessional activity in the Middle East.”
Just last year, around a dozen Iranian Navy ships were accused of frequently targeting and harassing US Navy ships.
The US Navy issued addressed the situation, stating, “The IRGCN’s dangerous and provocative actions increased the risk of miscalculation and collision, were not in accordance with the internationally recognized Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) ‘rules of the road’ or internationally recognized maritime customs, and were not in accordance with the obligation under international law to act with due regard for the safety of other vessels in the area.”