Pepet 6 U.S. Warships, 13 Iranian Warships Turn Right After 30 Warning Shots

Kapal Amerika Serikat USCGC Maui. (Wikimedia Commons/U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joan E. Jennings)

JAKARTA - A United States Coast Guard (U.S.) ship fired about 30 warning shots, after 13 ships from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGCN) Navy approached him and other American Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Monday, May 10, local time.

This is the second time in the past month that U.S. military vessels have had to fire warning shots, related to unsafe actions by Iranian military vessels in the region. Previously, a similar event occurred a year ago.

United States Department of Defense (Pentagon) spokesman John Kirby said warning shots were issued after an Iranian military ship approached up to 150 yards from six U.S. military ships, including the CRUISER USS Monterey (CG-61), which escorted the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN-729).

"U.S. Coast Guard cutter Maui (WPB-1304) fired warning shots from a .50-caliber machine gun before the Iranian ship left. This is important and they are acting very aggressively," Kirby told Reuters Tuesday, May 11.

In April, a United States military ship fired warning shots, after three ships from the IRGCN approached it and another U.S. patrol vessel in the Gulf.

The latest incident comes as world powers and Iran, seeking to accelerate efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back to compliance with the 2015 Nuclear Deal.