US Navy releases video showing close call and machine-gun firing near an Iranian patrol boat

US Navy

The US Navy on Tuesday released a video of what it called an "unsafe and unprofessional" encounter between an Iranian patrol boat and the USS Thunderbolt in the Arabian Gulf.

The video shows the Iranian boat coming near the bow of the US ship, which the Navy said was within 150 yards. An official told Reuters the Iranian boat ignored attempts to communicate over the radio.

As the video shows, the Thunderbolt responded by firing short bursts from its machine-gun to the front of the Iranian vessel, until it veered away. 

"The Iranian vessel's actions were not in accordance with the internationally recognized [Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea] 'rules of the road' nor internationally recognized maritime customs, creating a risk for collision," a statement from Central Command said.

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