A group of 11 Iranian naval vessels made "dangerous and harassing" maneuvers near U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf near Kuwait on Wednesday, in one case passing within 10 yards (meters) of a Coast Guard cutter, American officials said.
Iranian officials did not immediately acknowledge the incident, which comes after armed men believed to be from Iran's Revolutionary Guard seized a Hong Kong-flagged tanker.
In a statement, the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet said Revolutionary Guard vessels repeatedly crossed the bows and sterns of several American ships at close range and high speed.