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Source: https://jcpa.org/the-iranian-revolutionary-guard-navy-confronts-the-u-s-navy-in-the-arabian-sea/
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy Confronts the U.S. Navy in the Arabian Sea
(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Lt.-Col. (ret.) Michael Segall - On April 15, 2020, 11 Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy fast-attack craft repeatedly crossed the bows and sterns of American naval ships in the northern Arabian Gulf near Bahrain at extremely close range and high speeds in an action aimed at testing the readiness and response of the American naval forces. This incident occurred after a relatively long period in which the Iranians abstained from provoking the American naval forces operating in the area, and appears to be a sign that Iran is prepared to escalate its hostile actions against the U.S. and its allies. The IRGC Navy, with more than 20,000 servicemen, has trained for years in asymmetrical warfare against American forces, concentrating its efforts on fielding hundreds of fast-attack craft against the Americans, as well as commando attacks and ground-to-sea rocket attacks. It has also trained to lay mines against U.S. ships and its naval bases in the Gulf States. The writer, a fellow of the Jerusalem Center, is an expert on strategic issues with a focus on Iran.