A US Navy ship fired shots at a small ship in the Persian Gulf when the ship came too close. The shots were meant to be disabling shots, but they actually injured three people and killed another. This military move may not be looked at favorably by those in the Middle East.
The incident happened on Monday within UAE maritime borders. The port town is about 35 kilometers from Dubai. The US Navy did send out warnings and visual signals to the boat, requesting that it stop its movement and get away from the Navy ship. Unfortunately the vessel did not comply, which caused the military move of firing shots. The incident caused the small port to be closed while Emirati officials and police looked around the boat.
The vessel was about 50 feet long. It was powered by outboard motors. Similar boats are often used for fishing in the region, so at this time it is not known if the wrong move was made. The fact is that Iran tends to use similar vessels. The US Navy and US officials stated that they made the correct move given the tensions in the region, and the fact that they provided fair warning. The US Embassy is not commenting and is instead allowing the Navy to make comments. The Emirati officials also did not comment. These vessels are not uncommon, but recently Iranian vessels have been testing Navy vessels, causing concern in Washington. Threats from Syria and other areas of the Middle East are also making things uncomfortable.
Lance Grooms
