{"id":18122,"date":"2020-07-29T01:58:56","date_gmt":"2020-07-29T01:58:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/07\/29\/al-dhafra-and-al-udeid-go-on-temporary-alert-during-iranian-attack-on-mock-nimitz-class-carrier\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:50:08","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:50:08","slug":"al-dhafra-and-al-udeid-go-on-temporary-alert-during-iranian-attack-on-mock-nimitz-class-carrier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2020\/07\/29\/al-dhafra-and-al-udeid-go-on-temporary-alert-during-iranian-attack-on-mock-nimitz-class-carrier\/","title":{"rendered":"Al Dhafra, Al-Udeid go on temporary alert during Iranian \u2018attack\u2019 on mock Nimitz-class carrier"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) \u2014 Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard launched missiles Tuesday targeting a mock aircraft carrier in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a drill that included such a barrage of fire the U.S. military temporarily put two regional bases in the Mideast on alert amid tensions between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drill \u2014 and the American response to it \u2014 underlined the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the U.S. after a series of escalating incidents last year led to an American drone strike killing a top Iranian general in Baghdad. Tehran responded to that strike by firing ballistic missiles that wounded dozens of American forces in Iraq.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the coronavirus pandemic has engulfed both Iran and the U.S. for months, there has been a growing confrontation as America argues to extend a yearslong U.N. weapons embargo on Tehran that is due to expire in October<\/a>. A recent incident over Syria involving an American jet fighter approaching an Iranian passenger plane<\/a> also has renewed tensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iranian commandos fast-roped down from a helicopter onto the replica in the footage aired Tuesday from the exercise called \u201cGreat Prophet 14.\u201d Anti-aircraft guns opened fire on a target drone near the port city of Bandar Abbas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

State television footage also showed a variety of missiles being fired from fast boats, trucks, mobile launchers and a helicopter, some targeting the fake carrier. A commander said the Guard, a force answerable only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, planned to fire \u201clong-range ballistic missiles\u201d as well during the drill that will continue Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ballistic missile fire detected from the drill resulted in American troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command in Qatar, the military said. Troops sought cover during that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe incident lasted for a matter of minutes and an all clear was declared after the threat … had passed,\u201d said U.S. Army Maj. Beth Riordan, a Central Command spokeswoman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both bases are hundreds of kilometers (miles) away from where Iran put the replica aircraft carrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al-Dhafra also is temporarily home to five French-built Rafale fighter jets on their way to India for that country’s air force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other footage from the exercise aired by state television showed fast boats encircling the mock-up, kicking up white waves in their wake. While Iran\u2019s naval forces are dwarfed by the U.S. Navy, its commanders practice so-called \u201cswarm\u201d tactics aimed at overwhelming the U.S. carriers that pass through the strait on their way in and out of the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn’t immediately clear if all the footage was from Tuesday, as one overhead surveillance image that appeared to be shot by a drone bore Monday’s date. The exercise had been expected as satellite photos released Monday showed the fake carrier being moved into place by a tugboat<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A black-and-white satellite photo taken Tuesday by Colorado-based firm Maxar Technologies showed damage to the replica’s bow and several of its fake jet fighters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur policies to protect the vital interests of the dear nation of Iran are defensive, in the sense that we will not invade any country from the beginning, but we are completely aggressive in tactics and operations,\u201d Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of the Guard, was quoted as saying. \u201cWhat was shown today at this exercise at the level of aerospace and naval forces was all offensive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

State TV footage also showed Guard scuba forces underwater, followed by a cutaway to a blast hole just above the waterline on the replica carrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That appeared to be a not-so-subtle reminder of U.S. accusations last year that Iran planted limpet mines on passing oil tankers near the strait, which exploded on the vessels in the same area. Iran has repeatedly denied the actions, though footage captured by the American military showed Guard members remove an unexploded mine from one vessel<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t