WNAM MONITORING: The US on Friday denied claims that Iran fired warning shots at US warships in the Gulf of Oman, adding that Tehran’s forces did not force American vessels to “retreat” toward the Indian Ocean.
“CLAIM: Iran claims it fired warning shots at U.S. warships in the Gulf of Oman, forcing American vessels to “retreat” toward the Indian Ocean. FALSE,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) wrote on US social media company X.
“TRUTH: Iranian forces did NOT attack or fire at U.S. Navy warships. Doing so would be a gross violation of the ceasefire. U.S. forces continue to operate freely in regional waters while fully enforcing the ongoing blockade against Iran,” CENTCOM added.
The statement comes in response to an Iranian Army statement earlier Friday, which said that Iran’s Navy fired warning shots using missiles and drones toward US destroyers operating in the Sea of Oman, forcing them to withdraw from the area.
The army’s public relations office said the move was part of ongoing operations carried out in response to what it described as US harassment at sea and the seizure of Iranian commercial and oil tankers.
According to the statement, Iranian naval forces fired Qadir missiles and Shahed Danesh offensive drones toward the destroyers DDG-103 and DDG-87.