Iranian military ship approaches US warship in Strait of Hormuz

(Baonghean.vn) - In the latest escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran, five Iranian military vessels approached the US warship USS New Orleans in the Strait of Hormuz. Previously, two US ships were also captured by Iran in January 2016.

The Iranian flotilla of four speedboats, three of which were armed with machine guns and anti-ship guided missiles, was sent by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to the Strait of Hormuz on Monday (July 11). The Iranian boats came within 500 meters of the US heavy cruiser USS New Orleans and the guided-missile destroyer USS Stout.

USS New Orleans approached by Iranian ship (Photo: Reuters)

In the first encounter, the Houdong assault boat – one of the largest vessels in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps – passed the USS New Orleans at very close range. Four smaller patrol boats then continued to approach the US warship as it moved through the Strait of Hormuz.

One of the Iranian boats turned off its engines and drifted past both US ships, while filming the sailors on board.

The USS New Orleans carries about 650 sailors and General Joseph Votel, who oversees all US military forces in the Middle East.

Every year, the US side has about 250 ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Navy Captain Forrest Griggs, an officer on the USS New Orleans, said: "The Iranians regularly come within 300-500 meters of our ships." The US side accused this action as "unusual and unsafe".

Meanwhile, General Alireza Tangsiri, deputy commander of the naval force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, said: “Iran monitors all foreign warships entering and leaving the Persian Gulf. This management activity is nothing new and will continue to be carried out by Iran. We must be aware of the means of other countries, especially those outside the region, those hostile to Iran.”

Diep Khanh

(According to RT)