Iran claims US warships retreated after being 'locked on' in Persian Gulf

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy said on Sunday that two US Navy destroyers were forced to retreat after being "locked on" by Iranian cruise missiles and attack drones while attempting to enter the Persian Gulf, state media reported.

According to Iran's News TV, the US vessels were given a 30-minute window to withdraw, with Iranian forces claiming the American ships were "just minutes away from being completely destroyed." The US military has not confirmed the Iranian account.

The report said the US vessels, identified as the USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. and USS Michael Murphy, along with accompanying ships, tried to pass through the Strait of Hormuz using deception tactics, including switching off their Automatic Identification Systems, disguising themselves as Omani merchant ships, and hugging shallow coastal waters. Iranian patrol forces detected them in advance.

The incident came hours after US Central Command posted on social media that the two destroyers had transited the Strait of Hormuz to prepare for minesweeping operations in the waterway.

Iran's state broadcaster described the incident as a "failed propaganda operation" by the US, claiming Washington aimed to "produce false achievements" under a ceasefire situation and exert influence on Iran-US negotiations.