Iran Says New Anti-Ship Missile Was Tested Over US Navy Warship As Strait Of Hormuz Tensions Rise

Iran says it has tested a new anti-ship missile near a U.S. Navy warship in the Persian Gulf.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, made the claim during a televised interview on Sunday night, Fars News reported.

Rezaei said Iran had used the new weapon for the first time against an American warship. He called it a “special missile” and said U.S. vessels left the area after the incident.

The statement followed an announcement by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that its Aerospace Force had launched several ballistic missiles at a U.S. aircraft carrier and an American destroyer.

Iran said both ships were involved in the blockade and had moved away after the attack.

The U.S. military gave a different account. U.S. Central Command said its ships had faced an attack involving “hostile missiles”.

It said the incoming missiles were stopped and that the vessels suffered no damage. U.S. forces then carried out strikes in response.

Rezaei said CENTCOM’s statement amounted to an admission that the attacks had taken place. He said the incident showed that the U.S. naval blockade could be challenged.

He added the waterway remains closed and rejected the U.S. claim that ships and oil tankers are moving through it.

Rezaei also said some vessels trying to cross the strait without their navigation systems on had been attacked.

According to Rezaei, Iranian forces have so far chosen not to sink those ships because of concerns about the environment.

The strait was open to commercial shipping before the war. It is an important route for oil, natural gas and fertilizer shipments.

Iran is still restricting much of the traffic through the waterway with threats and attacks on ships.

Washington is using a naval blockade of Iranian ports as part of its pressure on Tehran. U.S. President Donald Trump has also recently threatened Iran with what he called an “economic war”.

The U.S. attacked three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday. The U.S. military said the vessels were put out of action.

Before that, Iran’s IRGC had launched ballistic missiles at two U.S. warships, according to CENTCOM.

Iran warns South Korea

Iran has also warned South Korea against taking part in U.S. military activity in the region.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said any additional military presence or operational role by another country in the Persian Gulf or Strait of Hormuz would be treated by Iran as direct support for the side carrying out the attacks.

South Korean media reported on Friday that Seoul was preparing, under pressure from Trump, to send a ship and several reconnaissance aircraft to the Strait of Hormuz.

There has been no official confirmation of those reports.

South Korea’s Defence Ministry and Foreign Ministry said separately on Monday that they were discussing with the international community how they could help restore free movement through the strait.

They said no final decision had been taken.

References: middleeasteye, dpa