Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Tuesday launched missiles targeting a mockup of a US aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz, a drill that included such a barrage of fire that the US military temporarily put two bases in the Middle East on alert.
The drill — and the US’ response to it — underlined the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the US.
For months, there has been a growing confrontation as the US argues to extend a years-long UN weapons embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October.
Photo: AFP / SEPAH News / Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
An incident over Syria involving a US fighter jet approaching an Iranian passenger plane has also renewed tensions.
Iranian commandos fast-roped down from a helicopter onto the replica in footage aired on Tuesday from an exercise called “Great Prophet 14.”
Anti-aircraft guns opened fire on a target drone near the port city of Bandar Abbas.
Photo: AFP / SEPAH News / Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
State television footage also showed a variety of missiles being fired from speedboats, trucks, mobile launchers and a helicopter, some targeting the fake aircraft carrier.
A commander said that the Guard, a force answerable only to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, planned to fire “long-range ballistic missiles” as well during the drill that was to continue yesterday.
Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in US troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the US Central Command in Qatar, the military said.
US troops sought cover during that time.
“The incident lasted for a matter of minutes and an all clear was declared after the threat ... had passed,” US Central Command spokeswoman Army Major Beth Riordan said.
Both bases are hundreds of kilometers away from where Iran put the replica aircraft carrier.
While Iran’s naval forces are dwarfed by the US Navy, its commanders practice so-called “swarm” tactics aimed at overwhelming the US carriers that pass through the strait on their way in and out of the Persian Gulf.
It was not immediately clear if all of the footage was from Tuesday, as one overhead surveillance image that appeared to be shot by a drone bore Monday’s date.
The exercise had been expected as satellite photographs released on Monday showed the fake carrier being moved into place by a tugboat.
A black-and-white satellite photograph taken Tuesday by Colorado-based firm Maxar Technologies showed damage to the replica’s bow and several of its fake fighter jets.
“Our policies to protect the vital interests of the dear nation of Iran are defensive, in the sense that we will not invade any country from the beginning, but we are completely aggressive in tactics and operations,” Iranian General Hossein Salami, commander of the Guard, said yesterday. “What was shown today at this exercise at the level of aerospace and naval forces was all offensive.”
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