Iran fired missiles and warned USS Nimitz aircraft carrier

By Boyko Nikolov

WASHINGTON, (BM) – On Saturday, Iran fired two long-range missiles that crashed 20 miles from a merchant ship and 100 miles from the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. The Lebanese news agency Al-Mazdar News and the American TV channel Fox News confirmed the news.

The incident took place in the waters of the Indian Ocean, as further evidence of growing tensions between Iran and the United States. The US Navy says the 100-mile distance is not a concern for them, but the 20-mile stretch is an alarming signal. However, the US Navy does not see the two missiles’ launch as a direct threat to them.

Fox News cites a statement from its Indian military sources who say the US Navy has closely tracked the missile launches using satellite data from orbiting US spy satellites.

BulgarianMilitary.com reminds you that Tehran has announced several military exercises throughout Iran since the beginning of the year. In one of them, the Iranians are training an attack on the American aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. Such long-range missile launches are typical in the Iranian military.

The first exercise began on January 5

On January 5, Iran began military exercises, including all military units of the Iranian army – ground forces and air forces. According to information from the Iranian Ministry of Defense, the training will take place in central Iran. According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, the practice will include hundreds of air operations with drones and a simulated attack on the US super aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.

On January 4, Iranian Brigadier General Mohammad-Hossein Dadras stated to state media that the country had become a regional superpower in recent years. The general also refers to the fact that Iran is a leading manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles in the region.

“The army of the Islamic Republic of Iran always, following the threats of transregional states and enemies, takes initiatives to upgrade equipment and conduct military exercises,” he also stressed.

According to the general, the exercise will be a detailed battle with several possible scenarios and tactical instructions for monitoring, intelligence, and electronic warfare with the enemy. The Iranian units will perform the whole exercise between the two limits of the drones’ operational capabilities, i.e., long and short distances. After the training, according to the general, Iran will present all the drones produced so far.

Washington left USS Nimetz in the region

Washington stated the decision to keep its aircraft carrier in the area. According to Acting US Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, the “duty” aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf prevents possible Iranian provocations or hostilities. He also stressed that the ship’s positioning responds to Iranian threats against the US president and individual US institutions without detail in his statement.

Military analysts and sources from various government agencies say another reason for placing the USS Nimitz is an upcoming military exercise between the United States and partners in the region. Such a possibility is genuine and isn’t a surprise. According to sources from the US Department of Defense, such an exercise is forthcoming, and the 5th US Navy stationed in Bahrain will lead it. Such a practice aims to ensure proper coordination of joint actions and response to attacks by enemy forces.

No UN arms embargo

UN lifted the arms embargo on Iran at the end of the last year, despite Washington’s discontent, as we already reported. In recent years, Iran has managed to revive its arms industry and develop and manufacture local weapons systems. All of them are intending as a possible response to a possible American attack. After the UN lifted the arms embargo, Iran expects to begin talks with Russia and China this year to purchase various weapons systems. One possibility is the purchase of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems.

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BulgarianMilitary.com
Editorial team