- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Iranian Missiles Reportedly Fell 100 Miles From USS Nimitz Strike Group

© AP Photo / Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Kimani J. WintIn this photo provided by U.S. Navy, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) steams alongside the Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76, not in photo) in the South China Sea, Monday, July 6, 2020.
In this photo provided by U.S. Navy, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) steams alongside the Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76, not in photo) in the South China Sea, Monday, July 6, 2020. - Sputnik International
Subscribe
Earlier in the day, Iranian media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had launched long-range ballistic missiles as part of its annual military drills, striking maritime targets 1,000 miles downrange.

Long-range missiles launched by Iran landed some 100 miles away from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz strike group and around 20 miles from an unspecified commercial vessel, Fox News claimed, citing sources.

Anonymous US officials reportedly told the outlet that at least two rockets exploded when they hit the waters of the Indian Ocean, "sending shards of debris in all directions".

"Twenty miles near a commercial vessel is more concerning, but not seen as a threat by the US military", one of the unknown sources is said to have told Fox News. Another anonymous Fox source reportedly claimed that the launch did not cause alarm and was "a fairly standard routine exercise".

While the launch was not visible to crew in the aircraft, American spy satellites in orbit are reported to have tracked the missile launch from Iran.

Earlier in the day, Iranian media reported that Tehran had conducted a missile launch as part of its annual military drills, hitting maritime targets over 1,000 miles away. It is unclear whether the missiles reported by Fox News are connected to the drill.

On the previous day, an Iranian submarine reportedly launched cruise missiles in the Gulf of Oman.

In this Sept. 7, 2020, file photo released by the U.S. Navy, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz transits the Arabian Sea. The Pentagon announced Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, that the USS Nimitz, the only Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Middle East, will return home to the U.S. West Coast. - Sputnik International
Pentagon Says Halted Plans to Move USS Nimitz Out of Middle East Over Iran's Threats
The USS Nimitz was sent to the Middle East region in April 2020, and was ordered to remain in the area instead of returning home earlier in the month amid fears of Iranian retaliation for the January 2020 US assassination of IRGC top general Qasem Soleimani.

After Trump labeled the general he directly ordered to be killed a "monster" and alleged that Soleimani was plotting attacks against the US, Tehran blasted the assassination as a "terror act", vowing to "bring those responsible to justice".

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала