Iranian gunboats came with in 200 meters of three U.S. Patrol boats while radioing the ships a message threatening to use explosives against them. From Reuters:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Five Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats harassed and provoked three U.S. Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route off the Iranian coast, over the weekend, CNN reported on Monday.
Citing unidentified U.S. officials, CNN said the Iranian vessels came within 200 yards (meters) of the U.S. ships in international waters in the strait on Saturday, and U.S. sailors came close to opening fire.
Oil prices rose about 30 cents to over $98 a barrel after the CNN report, with traders citing increased risk of disruptions to oil shipments along the key shipping route.
U.S. military officials told CNN the boats were “attack craft” that they believed were operated by Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard.
The Iranian boats made threatening maneuvers against the U.S. warships and threatening radio transmissions, the officials told
[…]
The captain of one U.S. vessel was in the process of giving the order to shoot when the Iranian ships began turning away, CNN said.
A radio transmission from one of the Iranian ships said, “I am coming at you. You will explode in a couple of minutes,” CNN reported, citing a U.S. official.
The Strait of Hormuz is a major oil shipping lane and Iran has been testing the responses of various navies to seaborne aggression. Iranian forces attacked and captured a Romanian oil rig in August and the infamous capture of 15 British sailors by Iran was no doubt and attempt to test the mettle of England’s navy and the resolve of the West.
The Iranian gunboats backed off just before our ships fired on them, proving if nothing else that the resolve to fight Islamic militants is our best weapon; but the audacity of Iranian forces, emboldened by their allies here, should als prove that it is they who wants war, and they will do anything to get it.