IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Sardar Alireza Tangsiri said Iranian drones had tracked a number of US vessels in the key strategic waterway. The Tasnim news agency reported: “Sardar Alireza Tangsiri announced the interception of an American aircraft carrier fleet with IRGC native drones during the annexation of 188 UAVs and helicopters to the IRGC navy and stated: Two destroyers 114 and 104, battleships 58 and 59, two patrol frigates 9 and 12 and a US Coast Guard 1,333 terrorist submarine were identified before entering the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.” In such a context, interception refers to the tracking and observation of the ships.
Mr Tangsiri also said US ships would be tracked in the Straits at all times.
Speaking on Sunday, Mr Tangsiri lashed out at the US for deploying ships in the region.
He said: “Definitely, this is our home and it is US terrorists that are present in the wrong place.
“We have never started a war and will never do so. But should a war break out, we are definitely not afraid of it.”
He added: “We always avoid war, but if the enemies want to threaten and encroach upon our national interests in any part of the country, we will firmly stand up to any such move. said.
“I’m telling the enemies not to repeat a mistake.”
The IRGC did not name the ship it claims to have tracked – but the US 5th Fleet confirmed on Friday aircraft carrier USS Nimitz had sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on its way to the Persian Gulf, accompanied by guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG-59) and USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) and guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG-104), the numbers of which were provided by Mr Tangsiri.
(More to follow)