14.1.08

Not necessarily a disconnect - 5th Fleet


The threatening radio transmission heard at the end of a video showing harassing maneuvers by Iranian patrol boats in the Strait of Hormuz may have come from a locally famous heckler known among ship drivers as the “Filipino Monkey.”
Navy Times
It was not clear, however, that the voice was coming from any of the boats, Cdr. Lydia Robertson, the 5th Fleet spokeswoman in Bahrain, told CNN. It could have come from another ship in the area or from shore, she said. "We don't have a direct connection, but it's not necessarily a disconnect," she said.

12.1.08

Israel planned to sink Syrian-bound freighter


When a freighter anchored at Casablanca for refueling, in 1991, Mossad planted a palm-sized electronic device weighing about 1 kilogram on the stern of the vessel's hull about one meter below the waterline, an electronic tracking and targeting device, because freighter was suspected of carrying at least 23 Scud-C missiles (with a firing range of about 500 kilometers). here

11.1.08

No Iranian Fast Boat Radio Threat, Pentagon

1981 graduate of the U.S. Naval AcademyThe communication Sunday was made on radio channel 16, a common marine frequency used by ships and others in the region. "It could have been a threat aimed at some other nation or a myriad of other things," said Rear Adm. Frank Thorp IV, a spokesman for the Navy. Robin Wright

8.1.08

USN about three miles outside Iran's territorial waters



"It is a basic responsibility of patrolling units of the Revolutionary Guards to take necessary interception measures toward any vessels entering into the waters of the Persian Gulf,"senior Revolutionary Guards commander Ali Reza Tangsiri said, according to the Mehr news agency. here My feeling is, just blast the hell out of them,”naval analyst Norman Polmar said. “You attack a (U.S. Navy) destroyer or a cruiser, you can expect to get killed.” here

7.1.08

Straits of Hormuz Revolutionary Guards





Five Iranian Revolutionary Guard fast boats "harassed and provoked" three U.S. naval ships in international waters at the Straits of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. The cruiser Port Royal, the destroyer Hopper and the frigate Ingraham were in international waters on their way into the Persian Gulf around 8 a.m. local time Sunday when the Iranian encounter occurred. Vice Adm. Kevin J. Cosgriff, commander of American naval forces in the region, said Iran might take actions to illustrate its ability to damage global prosperity. The Fars news agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guard, wrote “This was a media show by Bush to pretend his trip is important to the Middle East and to make the Arab countries feel that they need the U.S. forces in the region for security.” here