US Navy Ship Fires Shots at Iranian ‘Fast Boat': Official

The U.S. fired flares and attempted radio communication, but both were unsuccessful

A U.S. Navy ship fired several warning shots near an Iranian “fast boat” on Wednesday, according to a senior Department of Defense official, NBC News reported. 

The USS Squall and the USS Tempest were operating in close formation with a Kuwaiti Navy ship when the Iranian boat came dangerously close. The Iranian vessel passed between the two American ships at one point, coming within a couple hundred yards of the two ships. 

The U.S. fired flares and attempted radio communication, but both were unsuccessful. The Squall fired a few shots into the water as a deterrent. The U.S. rarely fires warning shots, according to the defense official. 

On Thursday, Iran's defense minister said those Iranian vessels were just doing their job and that the American ships crossed into Iran’s maritime region. The U.S. asserts that the ships were in international waters at the time.

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