Iran Says It Intercepted US Destroyer in Gulf of Oman

Iran’s state-run broadcaster IRIB reported that Iranian naval forces intercepted a United States Navy destroyer in the Gulf of Oman and compelled the vessel to withdraw. The incident, which was not independently verified, was said to have occurred near the strategic approach to the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments. The U.S. Defense Department and U.S. Fifth Fleet, headquartered in Bahrain, did not immediately comment on the claim. Previous encounters between Iranian forces and U.S. or allied warships in the region have at times escalated tensions and disrupted commercial shipping. The latest allegation comes amid continuing frictions over Iran’s nuclear program and Western sanctions.