US Navy again accuses IRGCN of ‘unsafe' operations in the Strait of Hormuz

A number of Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) fast in-shore attack craft (FIAC) conducted unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvres on 10 May and failed to exercise due regard for the safety of US forces, as required under international law, while operating in close proximity to US naval vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the US Navy (USN) said on a statement released later that day.

A group of 13 IRGCN FIAC made a high-speed approach on the US guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61), the patrol coastal ships USS Thunderbolt (PC 12), USS Hurricane (PC 3) and USS Squall (PC 7), the US Coast Guard (USCG) patrol boats USCGC Wrangell (WPB 1332) and USCGC Maui (WPB 1304), and the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN 729), the USN said.

“The US naval vessels were exercising [a] transit passage in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with customary international law,” the USN said, adding that the US naval vessels were escorting Georgia , as the submarine was transiting on the surface.

“Two of the 13 IRGCN vessels broke away from the larger group, transited to the opposite side of the US formation and approached Maui and Squall from behind at a high rate of speed – in excess of 32 kt – with their weapons uncovered and manned,” the USN reported. “The remaining 11 FIAC maintained position which placed the formation of the US ships in between the two IRGCN groups.”

To de-escalate the situation, the USN said, US naval crews issued multiple warnings to both groups of IRCGN vessels. “[Warnings given by Maui and Squall included ]