Iran fired shots and attempted to seize two oil tankers on Wednesday, a U.S. Navy spokesman said.
The U.S. Navy responded with assistance, and the Iranian vessels left the scene in the Strait of Hormuz, Commander Tim Hawkins, spokesman for the Fifth Fleet, said, according to the Associated Press.
“The Iranian navy did make attempts to seize commercial tankers lawfully transiting international waters,” AP quoted Hawkins as saying. “The U.S. Navy responded immediately and prevented those seizures.”
No one was injured during the gunfire directed at the second commercial tanker, Hawkins said.
In April, Iran captured a Texas-bound oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. Iran said the ship crashed into an Iranian vessel, leaving two crew missing.
Iranian TV aired footage of a commando raid to take the ship.
Incidents between the U.S. and Iran have been on the uptick in recent years. One reason has been former President Donald Trump’s successful order to kill Iran’s top military commander Qasem Soleimani. Another was Trump’s decision to scrap a nuclear-arms agreement with Iran, Fox News reported.
