Iran fired a rocket in the Strait of Hormuz, within 1,500 yards of the USS Harry S. Truman – an act described by one U.S. military official as "unnecessarily" provocative.
As America's aircraft carrier was navigating the strait, which joins together the Arabian Sea with the Persian Gulf, Iranian Revolutionary Guards warned of a live-fire exercise that was imminent, NBC News reported. Shortly after, Iran's naval attack craft began firing unguided rockets, some of which came within 1,500 yards of America's carrier. Other craft, including a French frigate and the U.S. destroyer USS Buckley, were in the vicinity of the rocket firing, as well.
A U.S. military official speaking on condition of anonymity said the U.S. ships were in an "internationally recognized maritime traffic lane" during the live-fire exercise, and that Iran's naval command had announced the test-fire over maritime radio and asked nearby ships to vacate the area. The official also said Iran was "clearly not" targeting any of the nearby ships.
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But at the same time, the official said Iran's test-firing was "unnecessarily provocative and unsafe," NBC News reported.
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Iran's defense ministries didn't comment, but Fars, the nation's state-run media organization, reported the firing did not place any vessels in danger.
The incident occurred on Dec. 26, but just came to light this week, via NBC News. It's not clear how many rockets were fired.