Iranian forces repel U.S. warship near Gulf waters in latest act of regional resistance

Department of Research, Studies and International News 25/07/2025

In yet another act of defiance against Western provocation, Iranian naval forces confronted a U.S. Navy warship that approached Iranian territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday. The encounter marks the first direct incident between the two sides since the 12-day war in June between Iran and the Israeli regime.

According to Iranian state television, the USS Fitzgerald, a guided missile destroyer, made an aggressive attempt to approach Iranian-controlled maritime zones in a clearly provocative maneuver. Iran responded promptly by deploying an SH-3 Sea King military helicopter to issue a warning and enforce its maritime red lines.

Footage released by Iranian media showed the helicopter hovering closely over the American destroyer. In the video, an Iranian crew member can be heard addressing the warship via radio, demanding that it change course immediately as it was nearing sovereign Iranian waters around 10:00 a.m. local time (06:00 GMT).

Iranian officials described the scene as a “tense standoff,” noting that the U.S. vessel initially reacted with hostility, reportedly threatening to engage the Iranian aircraft if it did not back off. Despite the threats, the Iranian military maintained its course of action with calm precision, ultimately compelling the American destroyer to retreat following continued warnings.

The U.S. military, however, attempted to downplay the incident. In a characteristically dismissive tone, U.S. Central Command called the confrontation a “safe and professional interaction,” denying any significant tension or operational disruption. An unnamed Pentagon official, speaking to  Reuters, labeled the Iranian narrative as "misinformation" and insisted th