Latest news with #SH-3SeaKing
Yemen Online
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yemen Online
Iran claims it sent helicopter to warn US destroyer in attempt to project force
Iran is seeking to regain some sense of pride in the wake of its drubbing at the hands of Israel and the US during the 12-day war that ended a month ago, on June 24. As such, Iran has decided to have its state media celebrate claims that one of its military helicopters warned a US destroyer to stay away from Iranian waters in the Gulf of Oman. US Naval Institute USNI news site noted that 'US Central Command is denying an American guided-missile destroyer violated Iranian waters, disputing claims in Iranian state media.' Tasnim News in Iran said that on July 23 at around 10 a.m., the USS Fitzgerald 'intended to approach the waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran.' The Iranian navy's Third Nabataean Region Aviation Readiness Team (Nadaja) flew over this extra-regional vessel as quickly as possible by helicopter and issued a warning for it to move. In response, the American destroyer threatened to target the Iranian helicopter and demanded that it leave the area. However, the Iranian pilot resolutely continued his mission and once again repeated the warning to stay away from Iranian waters. An Iranian SH-3 Sea King helicopter was used in the incident to communicate with the US vessel. For Iran, this was a small victory. It wanted to prove that it continues to control its territorial waters, and that it is monitoring US naval movements. Iran doesn't want to provoke a new conflict, but it wants to show it is still a country capable of projecting force. The Iranian media presents this as a case of a helicopter warning the US vessel to change course. Clearly, a small helicopter would not be a match for a modern US destroyer. 'With the insistence of the flight team and the defense support of the Iranian army, the American destroyer finally agreed and moved away from the waters.' The Iranian media made it seem like the Americans had given up in this encounter. Al-Ain media in the United Arab Emirates described the incident as a possible new crisis:'A new chapter in the crisis between Iran and the United States, following the US strikes on Tehran's nuclear facilities last month,' the report said. It noted that the US Pentagon had responded that the naval ship had been 'safe and professional' and that the vessel's mission progress was not impeded. The Arabic-language Al-Ain report also noted that the Iranians depicted the interaction as though the US ship was made to 'surrender' and 'turn back.' Clearly, that is Iran's narrative. 'Clashes have previously occurred between the two countries' forces in the waters off southern Iran, particularly in the Gulf of Oman,' the report added. 'In 2023, Tehran announced that it had forced a US submarine to surface while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a claim Washington denied,' it said. Iran also downed a $200 million Global Hawk drone in 2019. This came at a time when Iran had mined four ships off the coast of the UAE in the Gulf of Oman and also attacked two other ships underway in the same area.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Pentagon slams Iran's ‘false retreat' claim after helicopter buzzes USS Fitzgerald in Gulf of Oman amid tensions in the region
A senior US defense official has rejected claims by Iranian state media that a US Navy destroyer was forced to retreat after a mid-sea encounter with an Iranian military helicopter in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday (July 23). The Pentagon called the interaction 'safe and professional,' dismissing Tehran's account as misinformation. The latest flashpoint comes when the region is already on edge following recent US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities . The incident involved the USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), a guided-missile destroyer, which was reportedly approached by an Iranian SH-3 Sea King helicopter at approximately 10:50 am local time while sailing in international waters. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Project Management Degree Design Thinking Artificial Intelligence Public Policy CXO Data Analytics healthcare Others Management Leadership Product Management Data Science Finance PGDM Operations Management Data Science others Digital Marketing Healthcare Cybersecurity Technology MCA MBA Skills you'll gain: Portfolio Management Project Planning & Risk Analysis Strategic Project/Portfolio Selection Adaptive & Agile Project Management Duration: 6 Months IIT Delhi Certificate Programme in Project Management Starts on May 30, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Project Planning & Governance Agile Software Development Practices Project Management Tools & Software Techniques Scrum Framework Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Certificate Programme in IT Project Management Starts on Jun 20, 2024 Get Details Iranian state television claimed the helicopter issued a warning to the US ship to alter its course, asserting that the area was under Iranian monitoring. The report alleged the US destroyer issued threats in return but ultimately changed direction and left the area after further warnings from the helicopter, which Iran claimed was under full protection of the Iranian Army's air defense network. 'This interaction had no impact on USS Fitzgerald's mission and any reports claiming otherwise are falsehoods and attempts by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to spread misinformation,' a US Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson said in a written statement. No warning shots were fired, and US officials maintained that the Fitzgerald was operating within its rights in international waters, following pre-planned transit routes. Imagery provided by satellite tracking firms also showed no deviation in the destroyer's movements. Live Events Aftermath of US Strikes on Iran The maritime encounter comes just weeks after the US launched coordinated airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities under 'Operation Midnight Hammer', targeting sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The air campaign, launched on June 22, was intended to disrupt Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program, which Tehran insists is solely for peaceful purposes. According to defense officials, the Fordow site sustained significant damage, but enrichment operations at Natanz and Isfahan have partially resumed, raising concerns about Iran's technical resilience. The Iranian government condemned the strikes as 'an act of aggression' and pledged to rebuild its nuclear infrastructure. Iran's Supreme National Security Council vowed to resume high-level uranium enrichment 'without constraint,' while also warning it could withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if European sanctions are reimposed. Regional tensions and naval security The Gulf of Oman, a strategic waterway near the Strait of Hormuz, has long been a flashpoint between the US and Iran. Nearly one-fifth of the world's oil supply passes through the strait, making it a critical chokepoint vulnerable to geopolitical disruptions. In response to escalating threats, the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group has been redirected to the region ahead of schedule. A Pentagon official confirmed to reporters that surveillance and defensive assets have also been increased 'to ensure deterrence and protect freedom of navigation.' The Iranian military has increased air and naval patrols in recent weeks, following calls from senior IRGC commanders to 'monitor and confront foreign warships' near Iranian territory. Iran's state broadcaster on Wednesday broadcast edited footage showing the Sea King helicopter flying over a destroyer, although the authenticity and timeline of the video could not be independently verified. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to release a preliminary assessment of the US strikes' impact on Iran's nuclear capabilities by early August. Iran has also agreed to allow an IAEA technical team to visit one of the bombed sites, although access to other key facilities remains restricted. Meanwhile, the US Navy says it will continue its operations 'without interruption or intimidation' in accordance with international maritime law.
