The Pentagon on Tuesday said Iran's interception of a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel appeared to be a "provocative" act, but U.S. officials did not have all the facts surrounding the incident.
Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said the decision by Iranian naval forces to fire warning shots over the bow of the ship was "inappropriate." He said a U.S. Navy destroyer was headed in that direction to monitor the situation.
A U.S. Navy maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft was also dispatched. It was not clear what the U.S. defense obligation was to the Pacific island nation.
"At first appearance it does seem to be provocative behavior, but again we don't have all the facts yet," Warren told a Pentagon news briefing.