Iranian Long-Range Missiles Land Near Commercial Ship In Dangerous New Provocation

With a mere days to go till the presidential transition a huge Iranian provocation and “near miss” has occurred in the Indian Ocean on Saturday, reported by Fox News:

Long-range missiles from Iran splashed down dangerously close to a commercial ship in the Indian Ocean Saturday and 100 miles from the Nimitz aircraft carrier strike group, Fox News has learned, in the latest example of rising tensions in the region. 

Iran says it destroyed a target in the Indian Ocean at a range of 1800km. Finally, the long range anti-ship ballistic missile that Iran has been developing for years is a reality. pic.twitter.com/qh4iI3fc9b

— Aᴍɪʀ (@AmirIGM) January 16, 2021

No further details have been released as to the identity or country origin of the commercial vessel. 

Iran is currently holding a series of military exercises as a strong “message” to its enemies like the US, Israel and Gulf states. Friday into the weekend the IRGC is said to be testing long-range anti-ship missiles.

Two missiles are said to have exploded on impacting the water, as the report continues to describe:

Just as concerning to U.S. Navy officials, the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier strike group was also in the vicinity — about 100 miles away — from where at least two Iranian ballistic missiles exploded on impact when they hit the ocean, sending shards of debris in all directions.

Iran: The IRGC today held an unannounced missile & drone drill pic.twitter.com/puF4B4OqFP

— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) January 15, 2021

This is the second major ‘close-call’ incident in as many days, after a Thursday encounter between what appeared to be the USS Georgia nuclear submarine and an Iranian military helicopter which warned it out of the area.

Iran’s Navy had condemned the action of a “foreign” vessel which it said “intended to approach the naval drill” that Iranian forces are were conducting in the Gulf of Oman.