US destroyers forced to turn back in Strait of Hormuz

An attempt by the United States Navy to send two destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz ended as a failed propaganda stunt timed to coincide with talks in Islamabad, a Press TV investigation has found.

The report claims the maneuver, allegedly timed to coincide with talks in Islamabad, was intended as a show of force but instead resulted in a rapid withdrawal under pressure from Iranian naval forces.

According to the investigation, the USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) and USS Frank E. Peterson (DDG-121), both Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, approached the strategic waterway but were intercepted before completing the transit. The report states that the vessels, along with accompanying ships, were forced to retreat without successfully passing through the strait.

Press TV described the operation as “an extremely high-risk move that could have easily turned into a disaster for the United States and its military,” citing claims that Iranian forces had escalated their response as the ships entered the area.

The investigation further alleges that Iranian cruise missiles locked onto the vessels and that attack drones were deployed, placing the destroyers “only a few minutes away from complete destruction.” It adds that once the ships reached the mouth of the Persian Gulf, they were given “only 30-minutes to turn back,” after which they withdrew.

The report also claims that the US vessels attempted to employ electronic warfare measures, including disabling their position reporting systems, in an effort to avoid detection by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval units.

By Vafa Guliyeva