Pentagon: Iranians Harassed Navy Ships

U.S. Captain Nearly Opened Fire; Iran Calls Incident "Something Normal"

(CBS/AP)  Iranian boats harassed and provoked three American Navy ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, threatening to explode the vessels, U.S. officials said Monday, calling it the most serious such incident in years.

U.S. forces were taking steps toward firing on the Iranians to defend themselves, said the U.S. naval commander in the region. But the boats - believed to be from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's navy - turned and moved away, officials said.

"We take this deadly seriously," Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff told a Pentagon news conference via video from Bahrain.

"It's important to remember we have been attacked by small high-speed boats in the region," said Cosgriff, recalling the USS Cole in which 17 U.S. sailors were killed when an explosives-laden boat rammed the destroyer as it refueled in 2000 in Yemen's port of Aden.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said Monday that the confrontation early Sunday was "something normal" and was resolved, suggesting the Iranian boats had not recognized the U.S. vessels. The Bush administration said that Iranians should "refrain from such provocative actions that could lead to a dangerous incident in the future."

High-seas hostilities have been building for months, with heavily armed speed boats carrying Iran's Revolutionary Guard darting near U.S. ships patrolling the dangerous waters of the Persian Gulf, CBS News correspondent Bob Orr reports.

This is at least the third time in six months that Iranian boats have harassed U.S. ships in international waters, Orr reports. And just last March, 15 British sailors were captured in the Persian Gulf and held for two weeks by the Revolutionary Guard.

The incident raised new tensions between Washington and Tehran as President Bush prepared for his first major trip to the Middle East.

According to CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller, White House spokesperson Tony Fratto said the Bush administration urges the Iranians "to abstain from such provocative acts that could lead to a dangerous incident in the future."

Cosgriff said the incident occurred at about 8 a.m. local time Sunday.

CBS News has learned from Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman that the three ships - the guided missile cruiser USS Port Royal, the guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper and the guided missile frigate USS Ingraham - were transiting the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf when they were approached by 5 Iranian fast boats, some of which were assessed to be visibly armed.

The five small boats began charging the U.S. ships, dropping box-like objects in the water in front of one of the ships and forcing the U.S. ships to take evasive maneuvers, said Cosgriff, commander of the 5th Fleet and of naval forces in the U.S. Central Command region.

The Iranian boats came to less than 500 yards from the U.S. formation and at one point broke into two groups, one group going to one side and the other to the others side of the Americans. Officials said there were no injuries.

"At one point during this encounter ... the ships received a radio call that was threatening in nature, to the effect that they were closing (in on) our ships and that the ships would explode - the U.S. ships would explode," Cosgriff said.

While meeting the leaders of Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other regional nations Jan. 9-16, Bush is expected to try to bolster the troubled peace process between Israel and the Palestinians but is also likely to seek backing for U.S. concerns about Iran.

Iran is under two sets of U.N. Security Council sanctions for its refusal to freeze uranium enrichment, a potential pathway to nuclear arms, and Washington is pushing for additional U.N. penalties. But a recent U.S. intelligence assessment that it probably shut down a clandestine weapons program three years ago have led to increased resistance to such a move from permanent Security Council members Russia and China, which have strategic and trade ties with Tehran.

At the State Department Monday, spokesman Sean McCormack said he was not aware of any plans to lodge a formal protest.

"Without specific reference to this incident in the Strait of Hormuz, the United States will confront Iranian behavior where it seeks to do harm either to us or to our friends and allies in the region," McCormack told reporters. "There is wide support for that within the region and certainly that's not going to change."

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the Defense Department will work with State and National Security Council officials to determine "the appropriate way to address this with the Iranian government."

But Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Ali Hosseini played down the incident, suggesting it was an issue of misidentification. He did not comment on the U.S. claims of the Iranian boats' actions.

"That is something normal that takes place every now and then for each party, and it (the problem) is settled after identification of the two parties," he told the state news agency IRNA.

The incident was "similar to past ones" that were resolved "once the two sides recognized each other," he said.

An Iranian Revolutionary Guard official also described the incident as nothing unusual.

"No unusual confrontation has taken place between the Guard's patrol vessels and U.S. ships," state-run television quoted the official as saying. The official was speaking on customary condition of anonymity. The Guard official said the Guard's vessels were conducting normal patrols in the Strait of Hormuz when they saw three U.S. ships enter the waters of the region.

"The Guard's navy vessels, as usual, asked the ships to identify themselves and they did so and continued their path," the TV quoted the official as saying.

Whitman said the U.S. vessels were in international waters, making a normal transit into the Gulf. He said the Iranian boats were operating at "distances and speeds that showed reckless and dangerous intent - reckless, dangerous and potentially hostile intent."

Historical tensions between the two nations have increased in recent years over Washington's charge that Tehran has been developing nuclear weapons and supplying and training Iraqi insurgents using roadside bombs - the No. 1 killer of U.S. troops in Iraq.

At about this time last year, Bush announced he was sending a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf region in a show of force against Iran. The U.S. Navy quietly scaled back to one carrier group several months later. But while the two were there, they staged two major exercises off Iran's coast.

As one of the world's most vital chokepoints for oil shipping, the 30-mile-wide Hormuz strait has been the subject of previous armed confrontations between the United States and Iran, most notably during the eight-year Iraq-Iran war of the 1980s.

[iceman_1960]

Gulf of Tonkin incident...

It "worked" before.

[iceman_1960]

The two U.S. warships is the photo look like they could handle any number of Iranian gunboats.

[iceman_1960]

"We''re coming at you and you''ll explode in a couple minutes..."

Explode with laughter at that "threat."

Apparently somebody smuggled infidel beer onto those gunboats.

[ajayvee]

Mr. Bush wouldn''t be setting the stage for a July-August invasion, by any chance, would he?

[culturechang]

Gulf of Tonkin is exactly what I thought too. This was the incident where Johnson got us into a combat role in Vietnam. It was later determined that attacks on US ships there was a "miscommunication". Washington is desperately looking for a reason to start another war.

[toolmangler-2009]

Iran is trying to provoke a ''first strike'' by the US so they have an excuse to hit Israel. and have Russia jump in on their side when the US retaliates. This nis the only scenario that works for me right now, (rebuttal)?

[culturechang]

And was this harassment recently or in 2003?

[killtheliars]

Were the U.S. ships in Iranian waters?
This is quite a coincidence since Bush is in Israel where he is being pressured to attack Iran.

[twatembach]

C''mon, where have we heard this one before? The so-called "Tonkin Guld Incident" is what got me into Vietnam.

[toolmangler-2009]

Can you imaginee the trouble that would start ''if'' Iran Killed Bushy_baby and wiped Irael off the map at the same time, ssssssshhhhhheeeeesssshhhh

[extremophil]

You bunch of Oprah and Rosie-educated morons sure jumped on this one fast. I wish we were all as smart as ToolMangler, CultureChang, Iceman, killtheliars and all the other amoebas that have yet to check in.

[toolmangler-2009]

Well, thats one way the GOP could clean house and get control of the Mideast at the same time

[prinzowhales]

Iran has no reason to hit Israel. Such a strike would be totally out of line with Iranian policy over the years...It is Israel and the US who are looking for a rationale for attacking Iran--that is why Bush is traveling to Israel. Not to mention the fact that they would face nuclear obliteration for the sake of landing some HE on some kibbutzniks...not a very sound strategy...Only an American exposed to years of Zio-nazi propaganda could possibly believe that such a thing would be considered.

[prinzowhales]

Bush''s Skull & Bones name was "Temporary"...Billions of people all over the world are waiting for him to live up to it.

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by Prinzowhales at 11:03 AM : Jan 07, 2008



You must not understand what I said! Quit being a Mid East apologist and look closely at the "world" situation. The US is not the only player here.

[one_american]

No matter what the situation, the lunatic moonbat liberals side with anyone opposing America.

That is exactly why America cannot afford to elect a Democrat.

[underdogus]

The drumbeats of war are surely getting closer.....

[papabc]

Wouldn''t be the first time boats from some "not of good" country has harassed a US Navy ship.

**********: I was on a ship that a few minor junkets gun boats started toward a US Navy Ship. This was off Vietnam, Golf of Tonkin, around 1973. Did we sink the boats NO. Just ran them off.

Glad we didn''t fire on the Iranian boats but then again it too bad we didn''t sink them all.

[glidescube]

I can only hope that Iran woudl attack Israel. Israel would erase them from the map and then go back to finish lunch and end this headache once and for all.

[papabc]

No matter what the situation, the lunatic moonbat liberals side with anyone opposing America.
That is exactly why America cannot afford to elect a Democrat. ------------ Posted by One_American

Recommend.

[underdogus]

"U.S. forces were on the verge of firing on the Iranian" LET IT RIP.. LET THE THIRD HORSEMAN OF THE APOCALYPSE.. LOOSE.....DAMM IT!!!!!

[neoconrcrazy]

" officials said Monday "

"said a Pentagon official. "

"said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record. "



not authorized to speak "on he record", but "off" is what they prefer, do they?

That way rumour, lie, whatever, can be put into the public forum without any chance of checking the story.

Iran agresses american naval vessels?

Sounds like the Gulf of Tonkin, or the israeli excuse "egypt is blocking our shipping lanes" in 1967.

So, my dear wolves, have we not heard this boy before?

[chasemonster]

Yawn zzzzzzzzzz ... not again....
Iran baaaad, Israel goooood
yeah, right....
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[talkingham]

That''s right idiot one-amer, liberals just hate America don''t they? Rush-Bush just love America and their big fat wallets. I guarantee you one -american idot that just as many liberals have died fighting for this country as conservatives. u are an idiot.

[pvperson]

Thanks Nancy_Naive...I wondered if anyone would remember that this same ploy was used to bump up Vietnam into a real full fledged war. Bush and Cheney are running out of time to get the next war started and are trying what worked in the past. Also, notice that one of the U.S. captains was just giving the order to fire, That sounds down right eager, doesn''t it?

[neoconrcrazy]

""We''re coming at you and you''ll explode in a couple minutes," ....blablabla


Nice try. Even gave it a suicide jihad slant.

Has anyone ever felt; "I''ve heard this before..."

bush won''t give up till he has ruined us completely.

[neoconrcrazy]

the obvious question is:


what could be iran''s interests in harrassing our naval vessels?

the answer: there are none.

th conclusion: it''s koolaid time bushies !!!!

[rafterman1]

talkingham,

Don''t worry about idiots like One_American. He has no legitimate arguments defending the Bush administration anymore, so all he has left is to question the patriotism of others. A famous Herman Goering quote:

"It is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

[neoconrcrazy]

unwittingly at the service of whomever is against us. God help us all!

Posted by muslim2k8

yeah dude - call for god''s help - you need it!
so pray for a brain transplant....

Gee, what''s more provocative - The US cruising massive war ships up and down the Iranian coast line or these row boats?

Bush will have his 3rd war, we will have our biggest debacle.

[underdogus]

People, get a life!!!
Posted by nikosk1 at haa yeah but so does RUSSIA!!!!

[shingles1]

"the Iranians reportedly radioed something to the effect of ''We''re coming at you and you''ll explode in a couple minutes''"

Sounds like some bad B Movie dialog.

[red1530]

splamco, our ships were in international waters so Iran has no justification for harassing our ships

[king77shaw]

smells like US/Israeli propaganda ..

[infidel_us]

and we are talking about a couple of row-boats comming closer?
People, get a life!!!
Posted by nikosk1 at 11:41 AM : Jan 07, 2008

It was a couploe of *********** in a rubber raft that blew a big hole in the USS Cole and killed several sailors.

I was wondering how long it would be before bedwetting liberals started comparing this to the Gulf of Tonkin. Just remember, those were DEMOCRATS! What a bunch of losers!

[underdogus]

Thanks Rafterman1 Posted by jh6379 at the blind leading the blind...

[waganupa]

Since we have been misled so many times by our government and media it gets down to this -
here''s the deal: If this REALLY happened show us documentation like a recording of the transmission from the Iranian ships and also get their side of the story; photos and concrete evidence - sworn testimony. If there is no documentation, then it is just a political ploy. Word to the administration and news media: don''t lie to the citizenry about something like this, OK? And don''t report it if it is hearsay just to get attention or make money. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS FROM OUR GOVERNMENT.

This is a response that comes from a very suspicious patriot, ex navy man, Vietnam era vet and son of WW2 veterans - yes both my mother and father were WW2 vets. This is NOT WW2. The Vietnam debacle started in a very similar fashion. For God''s sake, Uncle Sam, stop deceiving American citizens.

[underdogus]

KEEP UNDERESTIMATING THE ENEMY.....

[notblue]

nokosk1, tell that senseless dribble to the families of the sailors that died on the U.S.S. Cole! This is not about oil so all you moveon.org freaks can give that a rest. It''s about provocation by the Iranians who realize that if America defends itself and destroys an Iranian boat there will be the typical anti-American leftwing loons who scream it''s all Americas fault, or it''s some oil driven corporate conspiracy which will allow them to once again thumb their noses at the world and blame big bad America. The leftwing in this country is the greatest ally the enemy could have ever dreamed of having. Good job loser libs!

[waganupa]

Since we have been misled so many times by our government and media it gets down to this -
here''s the deal: If this REALLY happened show us documentation like a recording of the transmission from the Iranian ships and also get their side of the story; photos and concrete evidence - sworn testimony. If there is no documentation, then it is just a political ploy. Word to the administration and news media: don''t lie to the citizenry about something like this, OK? And don''t report it if it is hearsay just to get attention or make money. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS FROM OUR GOVERNMENT.

This is a response that comes from a very suspicious patriot, ex navy man, Vietnam era vet and son of WW2 veterans - yes both my mother and father were WW2 vets. This is NOT WW2. The Vietnam debacle started in a very similar fashion. For God''s sake, Uncle Sam, stop deceiving American citizens.

[iceman_1960]

"It was a couple of *********** in a rubber raft that blew a big hole in the USS Cole and killed several sailors."
- Posted by Infidel_Us at 11:46 AM : Jan 07, 2008

No comparison. The USS Cole was in a harbor at the time. This incident was on the open sea.

"On October 12, 2000, the Cole was hit by a suicide bombing attack while it was harbored in the Yemeni port of Aden. 17 sailors were killed."

[waganupa]

Since we have been misled so many times by our government and media it gets down to this -
here''s the deal: If this REALLY happened show us documentation like a recording of the transmission from the Iranian ships and also get their side of the story; photos and concrete evidence - sworn testimony. If there is no documentation, then it is just a political ploy. Word to the administration and news media: don''t lie to the citizenry about something like this, OK? And don''t report it if it is hearsay just to get attention or make money. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS FROM OUR GOVERNMENT.

This is a response that comes from a very suspicious patriot, ex navy man, Vietnam era vet and son of WW2 veterans - yes both my mother and father were WW2 vets. This is NOT WW2. The Vietnam debacle started in a very similar fashion. For God''s sake, Uncle Sam, stop deceiving American citizens.

[underdogus]

YES I DO!!!! THAT''s THE REASON WE HAVE TO FIGHT THEM!! COWARD.. SO THEY WONT HAVE TO!!!!

[radiob-2009]

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Posted by Iceman_1960

Coconut, Macadmamian or Peanut butter?

[closethippy1]

Holy smoke, Batman! Just in time for Jr.''s show in the Middle East.
Never mind the US Navy ships were so far away they didn''t fire a single shot in "self-defense".
It''s the thought that counts.

[j-whitman]

notblue,,,, ******* -- The USS Cole attack was by idiots from the Sudan ----- Not Iran

Quit Freaking out before you haave a spasm & attack the wrong country again

[waganupa]

Since we have been misled so many times by our government and media it gets down to this -
here''s the deal: If this REALLY happened show us documentation like a recording of the transmission from the Iranian ships and also get their side of the story; photos and concrete evidence - sworn testimony. If there is no documentation, then it is just a political ploy. Word to the administration and news media: don''t lie to the citizenry about something like this, OK? And don''t report it if it is hearsay just to get attention or make money. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS FROM OUR GOVERNMENT.

This is a response that comes from a very suspicious patriot, ex navy man, Vietnam era vet and son of WW2 veterans - yes both my mother and father were WW2 vets. This is NOT WW2. The Vietnam debacle started in a very similar fashion. For God''s sake, Uncle Sam, stop deceiving American citizens.

[clestes-2009]

This is nothing but an effort on the part of the shrub admin to try and stir up trouble.

They have been trying to find some reason to attack Iran for years! They have lost the old "Iranian nuclear weapon" reason. Lost the "Iran killing US troops" reason, so now they are trying else.

I doubt that Adm Fallon thinks this is an act worthy of attacking Iran.

[iceman_1960]

"Coconut, Macadmamian or Peanut butter?"
- Posted by radiob at 11:54 AM : Jan 07, 2008

Tracking cookies. My least favorite flavor.

[radiob-2009]

Were they Iranian "girl scout" cookies?