ALWAGHT- The USS Fitzgerald was intercepted by an Iranian Navy helicopter in the Sea of Oman, which issued warning signals that caused the American vessel to alter its course to the south.
Iran’s military reported that a US warship, the USS Fitzgerald, approached waters monitored by Iran, prompting a rapid-response helicopter from the Iranian Navy’s Third Naval Region to intercept. The helicopter hovered over the destroyer and issued a clear radio warning to avoid Iranian-monitored waters.
During the confrontation, the USS Fitzgerald’s crew threatened to engage the helicopter if it remained nearby. Iran’s Army Air Defense Command then took control, placing the helicopter under full air defense protection and ordering the American ship to alter its course. The destroyer complied and headed south, away from the disputed area.
This incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf following recent US-Israeli actions against Iran. Iran and the US have a long history of naval encounters in the region, including the 2019 downing of a US drone by Iran. The Iranian Navy frequently conducts large-scale drills in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman to demonstrate its capabilities and deter foreign intervention.
