ians Threaten U.S. Ships

Five ian Revolutionary Guard boats harassed and provoked three U.S. Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

One of the ian vessels
The captain of one of the U.S. ships prepared to fire on the ians after one of the ian vessels broadcast a radio transmission threatening that one of the U.S. ships would blow up:

U.S. officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, were confirming a report first aired by CNN.

[. . .]

The incident took place about 11:00 p.m. EST Saturday night, the officials said.

According to the officials, the radio transmission from one of the ian ships said: "I am coming at you. You will explode in a couple of minutes."

The officials said it was not unusual for ian boats to get close to U.S. ships in the strait but the radio transmission was unusual.

The officials said the ian vessels also dropped small white boxes into the water. It was not clear what the boxes contained.

One official said the move may have been an attempt to ascertain what tactics the U.S. ships would use if objects were dropped into the strait.

Here's a video of the CNN report:

is playing a dangerous game here. I am frankly shocked at the restraint of the U.S. Navy. Especially considering the fact that last March seized 15 British sailors and marines and held them for almost two weeks.

Comments

[john Ryan]

PANIC ATTACK !!!
Iranian ships/vessels/gunboats/ little boats with one outboard were coming close our ships.

[PatD]

My impression is that these Iranian craft were simply probing our forces in order to divine what SOP Naval tactics we have in place regarding a swarm of fast boats. If ever the balloon goes up in the Persian Gulf vs Iran, Iran's response will undoubtedly involve large numbers of such craft. Now would be the time to polish up their tactics.

Also, they may actually be attempting to provoke a over-response by one of our commanders. A significant measure of world opinion already tilts towards Iran and a heavy-handed response could serve to further isolate the USA vis a vis our Iran policy. When/if push comes to shove, the more isolated we are the worse off we would be.

[Richard Daugherty]

It seems MadMatt, Tom and Turtle have never been in the Persian Gulf before. Its easy to be an Chair side TV watching warrior and second guess the Navy and the Administration. Besides Tom ever here or see what was done to the USS Cole by little boats full of TNT. 17 fine Americans died that day because of a little boat.
You three need to get your heads out of your butts and really do something for America like every once in awhile putting your lives on the line for the very freedoms that these Sailors gave you with their lives.

[T-Ray]

There was also the day we shot down a "military contact" flying out of Iran which turned out to be a commercial flight (A-380) killing 160+ civilians. The Gulf is a pressure packed environment. It seems to often bring "tragedy".

[T-Ray]

I was in the Navy and spent months in the Gulf as well as at Point Gonzo. The area is already a nightmare of large ship traffic and with 2 US carriers in the Gulf, the bath tub is about full. It will be extremely easy to create a conflict in those waters. Of course the choice of over-response will be adhered to.

[Augustus P. Lowell]

The mockery and dismissive insults -- and the conspiracy theories -- do everyone a disservice. Does anyone remember the USS Vincennes?

The Iranians have a history of using these kinds of harassing tactics. And small incidents of harassment like this have lead before to large tragedies with enormous geopolitical implications.

-apl

[Turtle]

Indeed hard to believe. The whole thing does have an air of the Gulf of Tonkin to it!!

[Tom]

Send five little boats at the US Navy (THE US NAVY!)and the right side just falls into a scared puddle of fear. Geez, I wish the right side had more backbone. Bush is going to put us into another false flag event - and just before the election I bet. I wonder if the right side knows it is being lied to by the Bush adminstration?

[ibfamous]

i see you've not been in the navy or the straits of hormuz, this is just the way things work... so leave the action to the military and the propaganda to the buttholes in the white house and write about the things you know... guess that wouldn't fill much space now would it...

[madmatt]

Can you say another FAKE Gulf of Tonkin...just like bushies to use old plays to try and start a war. They announced an attack in minutes...BS!