Iran holds military drills shortly after US aircraft carrier enters Gulf
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) held military exercises in the Gulf on December 22 after a US aircraft carrier entered the waters amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington over the reimposition of US sanctions, the news agency reported.
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| Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Photo: AFP |
Iranian state television showed footage of troops landing on Qeshm Island in the Gulf during the drills, which also included naval vessels, helicopters, drones, rocket launchers and commando units.
Iran's state news agency (IRNA) quoted IRGC Commander Major General Mohammed Ali Jafari as saying that with this exercise, Iran hopes its adversaries will be more aware of the level of damage from Tehran's response to any move.
A day earlier, the US aircraft carrier John C. Stennis entered the Gulf and was tracked by IRGC speedboats.
Iranian officials recently warned that they would disrupt other countries' oil shipments through the Gulf if the US steps up efforts to block Iran's oil exports through sanctions.
