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U.S.
says Iranian gunboats harassed warships
Officials describe incident as a 'significant
provocative act'
By Jim Miklaszewski
NBC News
Click to watch video report
01/08/08 "NBC" -- - WASHINGTON - Iranian Revolutionary
Guard gunboats harassed three U.S. Navy warships in the Strait
of Hormuz Sunday, in what the U.S. military officials described
as a "significant provocative act."
Military officials told NBC News Monday that two U.S. Navy
destroyers and one frigate were heading into the Persian Gulf
through the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz when
five armed "fast boats" of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard
approached a high speed, darting in and out of the formation.
At one point a radio message from one of the Iranian boats
warned, "You are going to blow up within minutes."
The Navy warships went into defensive mode, radioed the usual
warnings to steer clear, and in the end no shots were fired.
U.S. military warships believe the Revolutionary Guard boats
were "testing our defenses," the officials said.
The White House warned Tehran against taking such actions in the
future. "We urge the Iranians to refrain from such provocative
actions that could lead to a dangerous incident in the future,"
White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
Iranian officials were not immediately available for comment
Monday, and there was no news of the incident on Iranian
state-run media.
Rising tension
The United States expressed concern when the Revolutionary Guard
forces took over Iranian naval operations in the Persian Gulf
and Strait of Hormuz from the regular navy more than five months
ago.
However, Sunday’s incident was the first significant act of
provocation since then.
Historical tensions between the two nations have increased in
recent years over Washington's charge that Tehran has been
developing nuclear weapons and supplying and training Iraqi
insurgents using roadside bombs -- the No. 1 killer of U.S.
troops in Iraq.
In another incident off its coast, Iranian Revolutionary Guard
sailors last March captured 15 British sailors and held them for
nearly two weeks.
The 15 sailors from HMS Cornwall, including one woman, were
captured on March 23. Iran claims the crew, operating in a small
patrol craft, had intruded into Iranian waters -- a claim denied
by Britain.
© 2008 Microsoft - MSN
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