Iran’s Revolutionary Guards blasted a mock-up of a US aircraft carrier with missiles on Tuesday during military exercises in sensitive Gulf waters, state…
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards blasted a mock-up of a US aircraft carrier with missiles on Tuesday during military exercises in sensitive Gulf waters, state television reported.
The exercises — dubbed „Prophet Mohammed 14th“ — were held near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for a fifth of global oil output.
The US Navy condemned the „irresponsible and reckless behaviour by Iran“, calling it an attempt „to intimidate and coerce“.
The Iranian maritime manoeuvre was staged at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and its decades-old arch enemy the United States.
Footage of the war games broadcast on state television showed the Guards‘ air and naval forces readying for an attack off the country’s southwestern coast.
Speedboats skimmed across the water in formation before ground forces fired cannons and a missile was launched from a helicopter.
The mock-up of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier came into view with rows of dummy fighter jets on either side of its landing strip.
The television then cut to rockets being fired out to sea from the backs of trucks, before showing damage to the hull of the mock-up aircraft carrier.
Another missile fired from a helicopter left a trail of smoke before appearing to smash into the side of the fake warship.
An image grab shows soldiers rappelling down from a Russian-made Iranian military helicopter on to a mockup of a US aircraft carrier during a military exercise
Roy ISSA, Roy ISSA, IRIB NEWS AGENCY/AFP
Armed forces were then seen rappelling onto the deck of the vessel, before around a dozen speedboats circled around it.
