H I Sutton Image. Used with permission
While the Iranian naval forces have been clashing with U.S. forces in the Middles East in the last several weeks, its most capable submarines have been out of action. Read More
M/T Wila, a merchant vessel in international waters en-route to the UAE port of Khor Fakkan, in the Gulf of Oman, was boarded by armed Iranian personnel from both an Iranian Sea King helicopter and the Iranian auxiliary vessel Hendijan (1401) on Aug. 12, 2020. US Navy Photo
Iranian forces were looking for 1.1 million barrels in petroleum products seized by the U.S. Justice Department when they took over a merchant tanker in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week, DoJ officials confirmed to USNI News. Read More
Motor Tanker (M/T) Wila, a merchant vessel in international waters en-route to the UAE port of Khor Fakkan, in the Gulf of Oman, was boarded by armed Iranian personnel who fast roped aboard the ship from an Iranian Sea King helicopter as it hovered above on Aug. 12, 2020. US Navy Photo
An Iranian special forces team boarded and seized a Liberian tanker off the coast of the United Arab Emirates for about five hours on Wednesday. The action by Iranian forces drew swift condemnation from the U.S.-led collation created to deter harassment of merchant ships in and out of the Persian Gulf. Read More
U.S. Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, brief reporters at the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., Aug. 28, 2018. DoD photo
THE PENTAGON — The new commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) claims the Strait of Hormuz is under Iran’s control, but Pentagon leaders say the U.S. Navy has no intention of altering any operations in the region.
Undated photo of IRGCN fast attack boat.
THE PENTAGON — U.S. officials confirmed they were monitoring Iranian naval exercises in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, but had little to say about the activity involving up to 100 vessels and intended to showcase the nation’s desire to be the regional maritime security power.
Iranian ship intercepts USS Thunderbolt (PC-12) on July 25, 2017. US Navy Photo
This post has been updated with a statement from U.S. 5th Fleet on the Tuesday incident.
A Cyclone-class patrol craft warded off an Iranian patrol boat that was approaching a U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser on Tuesday in the Persian Gulf, a Navy official told USNI News. Read More
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy Houdong guided missile boat.
THE PENTAGON – Three U.S. Navy ships and a Marine helicopter were harassed during a night transit of the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, U.S. 5th Fleet officials told USNI News on Wednesday. Read More
The following is a guide to identifying ships and boats of the two Iranian naval forces, published by the Office of Naval Intelligence. Read More
An Iranian built mockup of a US Nimitz-class carrier is destroyed during the IRGCN Noble Prophet exercise. ONI Photo
Iran is developing a submarine that could launch an anti-ship cruise missile designed to quickly sink an American warship operating in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a new assessment of Iranian naval capabilities published Wednesday by the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence. Read More
The following is the 2017 Office of Naval Intelligence report, Iranian Naval Forces: A Tale of Two Navies. Read More
