U.S. Military Fires at Small Boat in Persian Gulf - Northern Michigan's News Leader

U.S. Military Fires at Small Boat in Persian Gulf

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The U.S. Navy says a security team aboard one of its ships fired on a small boat in the Persian Gulf today, killing one person and injuring the other three.

Lieutenant Greg Raelson, a spokesman for the Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, says the USNS Rappahannock issued a series of warnings.

The 30 foot boat disregarded them and continued racing towards the Navy ship. 

Only then, did the USNS Rappahannock resort to lethal force, using a .50-caliber machine gun.

The course of events are standard procedure when a small boat gets too close to a Navy ship.

Similar boats are used for fishing in the region, though Iran's Revolutionary Guard also employs relatively small, fast-moving craft in the Gulf.

Tensions are already elevated in the Gulf, after Iran renewed threats last week to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz--the route for one fifth of the world's oil, in retaliation for tighter sanctions over Tehran's nuclear program.

Stay tuned as 9&10 News brings you the latest details.