U.S. says Iran launched ‘provocative’ rocket test near ships
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Iranian naval vessels conducted rocket tests last week near the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, the USS Bulkeley destroyer and a French frigate, the FS Provence, and commercial traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the American military said Wednesday causing new tension between the two nations after a landmark nuclear deal.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates >> The U.S. accused Iran of launching a “highly provocative” rocket test last week near its warships and commercial traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz, exposing how tensions between the two countries could escalate even after a landmark nuclear deal.
The strategic Persian Gulf waterway, which sees nearly a third of all oil traded by sea pass through it, has been the scene of past confrontations between America and Iran, including a one-day naval battle in 1988.
But Saturday’s incident brought no immediate response from Iranian officials or media, while French authorities downplayed its danger.
Military vessels taking part in the war against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria also pass through the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. On Saturday, the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, the USS Bulkeley destroyer and a French frigate, the FS Provence, were passing through it, said Cmdr. Kyle Raines, a U.S. Central Command spokesman.
As they passed, Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels, hailing other ships in the strait over maritime radio, announced they’d be carrying out a live fire exercise, Raines said in a statement today. After 23 minutes, the Iranian boats fired “several unguided rockets” about 1,370 meters (1,500 yards) from the warships and commercial traffic, he said.
While the rockets weren’t fired in the direction of any ships, Raines said Iran’s “actions were highly provocative.”
“Firing weapons so close to passing coalition ships and commercial traffic within an internationally recognized maritime traffic lane is unsafe, unprofessional and inconsistent with international maritime law,” he said.
A French military official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to be publicly named, confirmed the rocket fire took place Saturday. However, the official said the French military did not consider it to be a threatening event as the rocket fire clearly wasn’t directed toward the Western fleet.
The French frigate is now escorting the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which is launching airstrikes against the Islamic State group, the official said.
NBC News first reported news of the Iranian rocket fire.
The Strait of Hormuz is only about 33 kilometers (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point. Ships traversing the chokepoint have even less room to maneuver. The shipping lane in either direction is only 2 miles (3.22 kilometers) wide, with a 2-mile (3.22-kilometer) buffer zone between them.
The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet is based in nearby Bahrain, on the southern coast of the Gulf. It conducts anti-piracy patrols in the greater Gulf and serves as a regional counterbalance to Iran.
U.S. and Iranian forces clashed in the Strait of Hormuz in the 1980s, during the Iran-Iraq war. On April 18, 1988, the U.S. attacked two Iranian oil rigs and sank or damaged six Iranian vessels, including two naval frigates, in Operation Praying Mantis. That came after the near-sinking of the missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts by an Iranian mine.
A few months later, in July 1988, the USS Vincennes in the strait mistook an Iran Air flight heading to Dubai for an attacking fighter jet, shooting down the plane and killing all 290 passengers and crew onboard. The shoot-down of the jet came shortly after the U.S. vessel reported coming under fire from Iranian speedboats.
Tensions have persisted in the strait even into this year. Iran sank a replica of a U.S. aircraft carrier in February near the strait and it later tested out so-called “suicide drones” it said could crash into naval vessels.
Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship and later released it in May after its forces had earlier surrounded a U.S.-flagged cargo ship transiting the strait. That caused the 5th Fleet to escort commercial ships traveling in the Gulf for a short time.
Iran and world powers led by the U.S. agreed to a landmark nuclear deal earlier this year to limit Tehran’s enrichment of uranium in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. Iran has always denied seeking nuclear arms.
The deal reached with moderate President Hassan Rouhani’s administration has been panned by Iranian hard-liners, and in the months since, Iran has conducted missile tests criticized by the U.S., as well as aired footage on state television of an underground missile base.
Saturday’s rocket fire should be seen as part of a pattern by Iran since its naval loss in 1988, said Eugene Gholz, an associate professor at the University of Texas who is an expert on the use of military power in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran wants to portray itself as the region’s major power, but doesn’t want to directly battle U.S. naval forces again, he said.
“Theater is a good word for it,” Gholz said. “You build a set, you carry out activity on the set, you send actors — in this case (Iranian Revolutionary Guard) special forces — and you hope people are watching and really paying the price of admission.”
13 responses to “U.S. says Iran launched ‘provocative’ rocket test near ships”
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“The deal reached with moderate President Hassan Rouhani’s administration has been panned by Iranian hard-liners”
That’s how you know the deal is decent.
When the GOP who has a vested interest in keeping Iran as the enemy pans the deal, and Iranian hardliners who have a vested interest in keeping the US as the enemy pans the deal, you’re doing something right. Both of the detractors have more than they’d like to admit in common with each other.
Just as when you get called a liberal by your conservative friends and a conservative by your liberal friends.
Good that Associated Press cited this little show for what it is: Theather.
The US and the rest of the world were better off with the status quo than the ill advised nuclear deal with Iran. The only reason the Iranians even agreed to negotiate was because their economy was on the brink of collapse and their currency was almost worthless. Obama has now more or less fixed those problems for them. He’s been a foreign policy disaster for the US as most of the world dislikes us even more than before he took office. So much potential, so little accomplished. The country would likely have been better off had Mitt Romney been elected.
How exactly was the rest of the world better off with the status quo when the Iranian regime made it clear that the sanctions would not stop their program? Because no inspections and being in the dark is great right? See North Korea.
Their economy was hurting those not in power. And the Iranians showed they will use force to stop a revolt. How exactly does a history of putting down popular rebellions help your claim when those hurting were those likely to stop a rebellion?
And the rest of the world was pushing hard to remove the sanctions. Tell me how we could force everyone else to abide to our sanction regime. Please, tell me. Not that you can because you won’t.
Okay Boy Wannabe Genius, tell me how you would have done things better. You won’t. Because you have nothing but criticism.
The problem with no information loudmouths like you, is that you operate under the asinine belief that the US was at some point all powerful. Learn how the things really were before talking again, or you keep contributing to the belief that Hawaii is the dumbest state.
Didn’t Iran , recently launched ICBM’s missiles a few months back? They claim it was a “test”. Yeah right ! Sure. You hear about it all over various the News media,but no one is getting excited about it. Why? because all the Countries involved in this “Landmark Nuclear Deal” agreement are…. TOO embarrassed! We all knew Iran was going to cheat. The GOP ,as well as some of the Democrats knew this! But outright in the President face? VERY Embarrassing!
A better word for “Decent” would be Failure. How I know the Deal has failed? Is when Iran started testing more ICBM missiles. And this sir? is in VIOLATION of the Iran Nuke agreement….. I hate saying, I “Told you so”, but ….i told you so. IMUA
What was Barry thinking????
More sanctions. That’s what:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-administration-preparing-fresh-iran-sanctions-1451507921
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-ballistic-missile-test-un-sanctions-us-ambassador-samantha-power/
Boy, you really can’t use Google can you?
Iran now knows Obama is weak and will not respond with military intervention. The last time we had trouble with them Bush senior was president and handed them their butts. This time they test fired medium range ballistic missles capable of carrying a nuclear payload right in front of our Navy ships. What does that tell you? They’re not afraid of the UN, they have Russia to protect their interests there. Having never served in the armed services, Obama lacks the experience and knowledge to deal with adversarial countries. If he had half a brain, he would partner with Russia and put an end to IS in short order. Never mind regime change, that never works to our advantage. It’s up to the people in Syria to bring about change if that’s what they want.
Actually what was fired was short range unguided missiles. Try again. Stop reading Breitbart.
And this is theather. Read the article.
So you would invade Iran right?
All you ever do is criticize and never offer any solutions yourself. You’re just like Winston. You have nothing but criticism.
What does Kerry have to say about this?
After spending a bit of time on a DDG, I have to say that the Revolutionary Guard must be nuts. If given the order, those 19 and 20 year olds on US Navy ships are perfectly prepared to open a couple of cans of whupass.
I thought Iran was Obama’s friends.
He thought so too but is finding out just how naive he’s been. American and European Sanctions had Iran on the ropes with a collapsing economy and an almost worthless currency before Obama saved them. We would all have been better off if he had done nothing at all with regard to Iran.