-@TH3WH17ERABB17- -Q- ---TIME TO SHOW THE WORLD--- -Part- --44--

originally posted by: Crazierfox
a reply to: spacedoubt

On 18th of April, the U.S. Navy attacked with several groups of surface warships, plus aircraft from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, and her cruiser escort, USS Truxtun. The action began with coordinated strikes by two surface groups.

Iran responded by dispatching Boghammar speedboats to attack various targets in the Persian Gulf, including the American-flagged supply ship Willie Tide, the Panamanian-flagged oil rig Scan Bay and the British tanker York Marine. All of these vessels were damaged in different degrees.[8] The targets were part of the Mubarak off-shore Saudi oil field.[9] After the attacks, A-6E Intruder aircraft launched from USS Enterprise were directed to the speedboats by an American frigate. The two VA-95 aircraft dropped Rockeye cluster bombs on the speedboats, sinking one and damaging several others

Action continued to escalate. Iranian fast-attack craft Joshan, an Iranian Kaman-class (La Combattante II type) fast attack craft, challenged Wainwright and Surface Action Group Charlie. The commanding officer of Wainwright directed a final warning (of a series of warnings) stating that Joshan was to "stop your engines, abandon ship, I intend to sink you". Joshan responded by firing a Harpoon missile at them.[10] The missile was successfully lured away by chaff.[11]

Simpson responded to the challenge by firing four Standard missiles, while Wainwright followed with one Standard missile.[12] All missiles hit and destroyed the Iranian ship's superstructure but did not immediately sink it, so Bagley fired another Harpoon. The missile did not find the target. SAG Charlie closed on Joshan, with Simpson, then Bagley and Wainwright firing guns to sink the crippled Iranian ship.[10]

Two Iranian F-4 Phantom fighters were orbiting about 48 km (26 nmi) away when Wainwright decided to drive them away. Wainwright fired two Extended Range Standard missiles, one of which detonated near an F-4, blowing off part of its wing and peppering the fuselage with shrapnel. The F-4s withdrew, and the Iranian pilot landed his damaged airplane at Bandar Abbas.[12]

Fighting continued when the Iranian frigate IRIS Sahand departed Bandar Abbas and challenged elements of an American surface group.

Sahand fired missiles at the A-6Es, which replied with two Harpoon missiles and four laser-guided Skipper missiles. Joseph Strauss fired a Harpoon missile. Most or all of the shots scored hits, causing heavy damage and fires. Fires blazing on Sahand's decks eventually reached its munitions magazines, causing an explosion that sank it.

Late in the day, the Iranian frigate IRIS Sabalan departed from its berth and fired a surface-to-air missile at several A-6Es from VA-95. The A-6Es then dropped a Mark 82 laser-guided bomb into Sabalan's stack, crippling the ship and leaving it burning. The Iranian frigate, stern partially submerged, was taken in tow by an Iranian tug, and was repaired and eventually returned to service. VA-95's aircraft, as ordered, did not continue the attack. The A-6 pilot who crippled Sabalan, Lieutenant Commander James Engler, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by Admiral William J. Crowe, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for the actions against Sabalan and the Iranian gunboats.[13]

In retaliation for the attacks, Iran fired Silkworm missiles, suspected to be the HY-4 version, from land bases against SAG Delta in the Strait of Hormuz and against USS Gary in the northern central Persian Gulf, but all missed because of evasive maneuvers and use of decoys by the ships. A missile was probably shot down by Gary's 76 mm (3.0 in) gun. The Pentagon and the Reagan Administration later denied that any Silkworm missile attacks took place, possibly in order to keep the situation from escalating further - as they had promised publicly that any such attacks would merit retaliation against targets on Iranian soil.[14]

edit on 777Vam13America/ChicagoSat, 13 Apr 2024 11:23:10 -0500 by 777Vader because:

originally posted by: cherokeetroy
www.google.com...

"A video seen by The Associated Press showed commandos raiding a ship near the Strait of Hormuz by helicopter Saturday, an attack a Mideast defense official attributed to Iran amid wider tensions between Tehran and the West.

The vessel involved is likely the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, a container ship associated with London-based Zodiac Maritime. Zodiac Maritime is part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group."

"According to the documents cited by Shomrim, Eyal Ofer — who is said to be worth about $11.5 billion — is the owner of a secret fund set up in the Cayman Islands named Ark that he inherited from his father, Sammy Ofer. Ark is also linked to a secretive company set up in the Virgin Islands named Elm Holdings Group — which is listed as being owned by a shipping company in Liberia.

Eyal’s brother, Idan Ofer, whose estimated worth is $6.5 billion, is said to own a company headquartered in the Virgin Islands named Better Place, whose holdings include a 50-meter yacht that was used as a guarantee for a 15 million euro loan from Credit Suisse in 2015."