IRG Locks 16 Cruise Missiles on US Warships in Hormuz Before Retreat

By Staff, Agencies

In new details of last week’s Strait of Hormuz operation, reports said that the Islamic Revolutionary Guards [IRG] Navy locked over a dozen cruise missiles onto advancing US warships before they quickly retreated.

Follow-up reports on the April 11 Strait of Hormuz standoff said IRG naval forces locked 16 cruise missiles onto the USS Michael Murphy [DDG 112] and the USS Frank E. Peterson [DDG 121] after the US warships ignored initial warnings.

The enemy was then warned to withdraw from the Strait of Hormuz or face missile fire, and reportedly requested a 15-minute delay as they anticipated an imminent strike.

According to reports, US forces used the delay to contact their command for instructions, as the standoff lasted under an hour before the US destroyers quickly withdrew, with Iranian forces exercising restraint throughout.

An investigation on April 12 had revealed that the US military's attempt to sail two destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz ended as a failed propaganda stunt timed to coincide with the talks in Islamabad.

Based on high-level military-security sources, the report said US destroyers narrowly avoided destruction after a risky Strait of Hormuz transit, described as a failed propaganda move intended to influence Iran-US talks in Pakistan.

Both Arleigh Burke-class destroyers had attempted to transit the strategic waterway but were intercepted and forced to retreat by Iranian naval forces.

Earlier findings described the US move as highly risky and close to disaster, with destroyers reportedly minutes from destruction after Iranian cruise missiles locked on and attack drones were deployed.

The investigation also found the destroyers attempted to spoof their identity as Omani commercial vessels conducting coastal transit in the southern Sea of Oman.

The destroyers reportedly took a risky near-coastal, shallow-water route, relying on concealment and deception and expecting reduced Iranian vigilance during the ceasefire.

However, the IRG naval forces, while patrolling around Fujairah, had already detected the deception and taken swift action.

The investigation further revealed that the failed operation was specifically designed to exploit the ceasefire in order to test the readiness of Iran's naval forces.