Iran vessels make 'high speed intercept' of U.S. ship: defense official
Source: Reuters
Four vessels from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) "harassed" a U.S. destroyer on Tuesday by carrying out a "high speed intercept" in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. defense official said on Wednesday.
The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said two of the Iranian vessels came within 300 yards of the USS Nitze in an incident that was "unsafe and unprofessional."
"The Iranian high rate of closure...created a dangerous, harassing situation that could have led to further escalation including additional defensive measures by Nitze," the official said.
The IRGC, the Islamic Republic's praetorian guard, is suspicious of U.S. military activity near Iran's borders. The Guards operate land and naval units separate from the regular armed forces and stage frequent war games in the Gulf, which separates Iran from its regional rival Saudi Arabia and a U.S. naval base in Bahrain.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-military-idUSKCN10Z2OP?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social
7962
(11,841 posts)Send a few warning rounds across their bow next time.
DeltaLitProf
(770 posts). . . I ask Iran if they want to get the nuke deal revoked and sanctions slapped on even worse. This is how to do it.
TheBaculumKing
(102 posts)Those Iranian bass boats only still exist because the Commander of the Nitze chose to let them live.
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jpak
(41,758 posts)Should have 2 Phalanx mounts and 2 MK 38 chain guns.
Just sayin'
TheBaculumKing
(102 posts)Won't be enough Republican Guard bass boat left for three fish to sleep in.
Wounded Bear
(58,696 posts)and probably would be ineffective at that close of range.
TheBaculumKing
(102 posts)And be good gunnery practice.
I'm not entirely sure the shells would even arm that close.
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)they were being tracked by the Phalanx and it really would take that much to splinter them using that system. More likely they would get a good dose from high pressure fire hoses should they get too close. It really wouldn't take too very much on those rather open boats to upset the center of gravity.
Nihil
(13,508 posts)> More likely they would get a good dose from high pressure fire hoses should they get too close.
No need to fire off a single pistol shot - as you say, the Phalanx more than covers it if anyone
decides to escalate - just hose them down to cool their hot heads a little.
The Iranians were being boneheads and trying to start something if possible, knowing that they probably could not do so. I did see flares being shot off during their approach so some steps were being taken, I am sure fire hoses were next along with some MG's mounted on the ship's railings. Swinging the 5" might have gotten their attention, but small, fast targets would likely be difficult to hit with even the automatic 5" guns of today.
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)They wouldn't allow them to get that close, actual arms would've been employed, the Iranians would know that.
MADem
(135,425 posts)They don't even need the nets to foul propellers, the skunky smell, or the electric charges that the civilian vessels employ against pirates, e.g.:
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)they know aren't going to take them out.
Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)GOLGO 13
(1,681 posts)They know we wont strike first. They would love for us to do so. Time to dive into our "dirty tricks" magic bag.
MADem
(135,425 posts)Old joke--but they'd best not take a bite out of something they simply can't chew.
Wonder if Putin is encouraging this behavior?
Iran has lost so many people in war--the Iran-Iraq war was a hopper into which were flung an entire generation of youth...there are so many kids who grew up without their fathers--I can't believe they'd be thrilled at the idea of more War Without End, Amen.
I think this is one more example of the leadership of the country being out of touch with the overwhelming majority of the population. This kind of crap is the ulema who run the country talking, not the people.
Eugene
(61,938 posts)Source: Reuters
U.S. Navy ship fires warning shots at Iranian vessel
By Idrees Ali | WASHINGTON
A U.S. Navy ship fired warning shots toward an Iranian fast-attack craft that approached two U.S. ships, a Pentagon spokesman said on Thursday, in the most serious of a number of incidents in the Gulf area this week.
"They did feel compelled ultimately to fire three warning shots and the reason for that is... they had taken steps already to try and de-escalate this situation," spokesman Peter Cook told reporters.
Tensions have increased in the Gulf in recent days despite an improvement in relations between Iran and the United States.
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A U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the USS Squall patrol craft fired three warning shots from a .50 caliber gun in the northern Gulf on Wednesday after warning flares did not work.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-navy-idUSKCN110285