In the waters of the Persian Gulf, three Iranian Revolutionary Guard ships approached an American patrol ship. The US military said that after radio announcements several times, the crew of the USS Firebolt fired warning shots, forcing the Iranians to turn away.
“The American crew issued many warnings via radio and hands-free devices, but the Iranian ships continued their short-range maneuvers,” the US military statement said. “The crew of the aircraft carrier USS Firebolt fired warning shots and the Corps ships left to a safe distance,” the statement added.
“The United States is not the aggressor. However, our forces are trained to take effective defense measures when necessary,” a US military statement said on Tuesday.
USS FireboltWalter M. Wayman / US Navy
Actions led by “irresponsible leaders”
According to Reuters, the US military command said that it was too early to determine the motives of the Iranian forces, and added that such incidents in the past were at the initiative of local leaders and were not directed by senior Iranian leaders.
Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of the US Central Command, said, “The actions that we usually observe from the Iranian Navy are not necessarily led by the Supreme Leader of the Iranian state, but by irresponsible local commanders at the site.”
Main Image Source: Walter M. Wayman / US Navy
