Iran navy claims warning shots fired at US destroyers with missiles, drones

Iran's navy fired warning shots at US destroyers using missiles and drones, the Iranian hardline news agency Fars News reported Thursday local time.

Fars News claimed that USS Truxtun (DDG-103) and USS Mason (DDG-87) withdrew from the Sea of Oman into the Indian Ocean immediately after the Iranian navy fired warning shots using Qadir missiles and a new attack drone called "Martyr Danai."

The agency also reported that Iranian naval operations over recent days had prompted the withdrawal from the Sea of Oman of the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, along with destroyers belonging to US and "Zionist" (Israeli) forces.

It added that while the enemy vessels had moved beyond the range of the missiles used in the operation, the Iranian navy warned it stood ready to deploy longer-range strike capabilities if necessary.

Iran's state broadcaster IRIB also reported that the US military's "terrorist fleet" had attempted to enter the Persian Gulf 48 hours earlier with its navigation systems switched off, but retreated after facing what it described as a resolute response from the Iranian navy. Satellite image analysis confirmed that the US fleet had since scattered, IRIB said.