Seven Iranian fast boats harassed two American warships in the Persian Gulf on Sunday, one of which stopped in front of a U.S. vessel in what the Pentagon called "unsafe and unprofessional."
Defense department spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters the incident involved an aircraft carrier and a patrol craft.
"The USS Firebolt, a patrol craft, was operating in international waters in the central Arabian Gulf, was approached by seven fast-attack craft from Iran," Davis said Tuesday, as ABC News reported.
"Three of them maneuvered close to the ship, shadowing her course from a range of about 500 yards. They eventually broke off. One of the remaining boats turned towards the USS Firebolt and came to a stop directly in front of the ship. This caused the Firebolt to have to maneuver to avoid a collision. They came within about 100 yards of each other."
Davis said the American ship tried to raise the Iranians on the radio several times during the incident, but the fast boats maintained radio silence.
In a related incident, four fast boats were approaching the USS Eisenhower, an aircraft carrier that was located south of the USS Firebolt. The patrol craft was dispatched to that scene to protect the Eisenhower from the fast boats, but the carrier was able to outrun them.
"This is another example of an unsafe and unprofessional interaction we've had with the IRGCN in the Gulf," Davis said, referring to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy.
Sunday's incident, according to Reuters, marked the 31st time this year Iranian boats have harassed American Naval ships.
"We don't see this type of unsafe and unprofessional activity from any other nation," an unnamed U.S. official told Reuters.
The fast boats involved in Sunday's incident had been hiding behind a line of fishing boats before they broke free and made a bee line toward the American ships, ABC News reported.
The fast boats' weapons were uncovered and manned but were not trained on the U.S. ships, according to Reuters.