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US Comes Close To Firing On Iran Ships
Updated:19:08, Monday January 07, 2008

Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats have threatened three US Navy ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz in what is being called a "serious provocation".

Typical US Navy shipsAmerican forces were on the verge of firing on the vessels after being harrassed and provoked, according to Pentagon officials.

But, as the captain of one of the US ships was in the process of giving the order to fire, the Iranian boats suddenly veered away and ended the episode.

Iran has admitted the incident happened - but described it as "ordinary" and said it was resolved.

A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: "It is the most serious provocation of this sort that we've seen yet."

He said the five Iranian speedboats "pretty much swarmed" the three US vessels in international waters with the Iranians threatening that one of the US ships would blow up in minutes.

The radio transmission from one of the Iranian ships reportedly said: "I am coming at you. You will explode in a couple of minutes."

The White House has warned Tehran against taking such actions in the future.

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"Barrel High, Powder Dry!"

"Illic est haud effrego ex Veneratio"

I'm sure this has happened a few times, Why highlight it now?...........The ridiculous mental picture of 3 major surface vessels sinking a handful of speed boats would be a great propaganda victory for Iran .......its tempting all the same

because it ****ing matters?

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Not like this.

Based on what I heard, they should have ****ing sunk those vessels.
But because of international and internal politics, their lives are put in danger.

I remember other IS's talking about how ever time we would travel through the straits,
Iran likes to paint us with their Anti-ship missle radar.

Spot On. No enemy vessel has come this close before. This sign of hostility has shown that Iran has no intention of playing like big kids and talk.

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SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM

How do you know, are you in the gulf watching every movement?

They're close, but how close is Iranian waters? Its a little like falling out of bed and finding yourself in another country in that area..........

........Up tempo?

Well, they always tread very careful in the Straits.....
I heard from people today that the Capt. of the ship actually told the SCAT team to shoot when they got in range... But a one point they were as close as 200 yrds, well within range of the .50 Cal, or CIWS.... Maybe that order was after-the-fact.

I will try to find out more.

I would think that Navy ships would be able to avoid state waters. The Revolutionary Guard doesn't sound like one to listen to international accordances *cough* HMS Cornwall *cough*

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SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM