US Navy Ship Fires Warning Shots at Iranian Patrol Boat

July 25, 2017, 5:35 PM (IDT)

A US Navy ship fired warning shots at an Iranian Revolutionary Guards boat at the northern end of the Persian Gulf when it came to within 150 meters and failed to respond to warnings, including radio calls, flares and short whistle blasts. 
 
The warning shots prevented a collision but the Iranian boat, after withdrawing, stayed in the area for some hours. 
 
The incident occurred Tuesday., 25 July 2017. 
 
US Defense officials said the Iranian boat approached, coming to within 150 yards of the USS Thunderbolt, a US Navy patrol ship.
 
The USS Thunderbolt was accompanied by the USS Vella Gulf, which is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, and two other US Coast guard vessels at the time.
 
DEBKAfile: The Iranian Revolutionary Guards operate fast boats armed with torpedoes and some packed with explosives in Gulf waters. Their crews are training for confrontation with American warships. 

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