Saturday’s rocket fire comes after Iran and world powers led by the U.S. vessel reported coming under fire from Iranian speedboats. The shoot-down of the jet came shortly after the U.S. Roberts by an Iranian mine.Ī 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. That came after the near-sinking of the missile frigate USS Samuel B. attacked two Iranian oil rigs and sunk or damaged six of its vessels, including two naval frigates, in Operation Praying Mantis. didn’t retaliate to Saturday’s rocket test, the Strait of Hormuz has been the scene of a battle between the two countries’ navies. It conducts anti-piracy patrols in the greater Gulf and serves as a regional counterbalance to Iran. Navy’s 5th Fleet is based in nearby Bahrain, on the southern coast of the Gulf. The shipping lane in either direction is only 3 kilometres wide, with a 3-kilometre buffer zone between them. Ships traversing the chokepoint have even less room to maneuver. The Strait of Hormuz is only about 33 kilometres wide at its narrowest point between Iran and Oman. NBC News first reported news of the Iranian rocket fire. The French frigate is now escorting the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which is launching airstrikes against the Islamic State group. 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. “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.”Ī French military official, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to publicly named, confirmed the rocket fire took place Saturday. Iran’s “actions were highly provocative,” Raines said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
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