Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Wednesday that it targeted two US warships and two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the warships were damaged by ballistic missiles. The United States denied that any of its naval vessels were hit, as US officials increasingly discussed the development of Iran’s anti-ship missile capabilities.
IRGC links attack to destruction of Iranian tankers
The IRGC said the attack was in response to the US destruction of five Iranian tankers. It added that the two warships were carrying cruise missiles and the Aegis defense system, and that they were targeted after attempting to cross what it described as a prohibited and unsafe area. Washington did not confirm the Iranian account.
US reports track development of Iranian missiles
A US official was quoted on September 8 denying that any vessel had been hit during an Iranian attack targeting the US Navy the previous day. The conflicting statements coincided with reports that US officials were concerned Iran might possess ballistic missiles capable of maneuvering in flight and striking moving targets.
The reports linked those concerns to information that some missiles had successfully reached their targets, while suggesting that Tehran may have received assistance from Russia and China without providing official confirmation. The Iranian announcement places the capabilities of ships equipped with multilayered defense systems at the center of the naval confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz.
However, the conflicting Iranian and US accounts make it impossible, based on the available information, to verify whether the two warships were hit or the extent of the reported damage. The escalation comes as the US Navy plans, according to US officials, to keep two carrier strike groups in the Middle East near Iran until at least the end of the year. The move would allow Washington to continue its military operations if the confrontation persists.
