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Iranian Helicopter Intercepts USS Fitzgerald, Forcing Course Change

Washington’s Central Command is reviewing the episode following Iran’s claim that its integrated air defense shielded the helicopter that forced the destroyer southward.

Image
Image
A still image from a video shared by Iranian state media that it said captured the moment an Iranian naval helicopter confronted the USS Fitzgerald, a U.S. naval destroyer, in the Gulf of Oman, on Thursday, July 23, 2025.
(Reprsentational image) The USS Fitzgerald allegedly encountered an Iranian helicopter in international waters, with each side presenting differing accounts of the event. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

Overview

  • On July 23, an Iranian Navy SH-3 Sea King helicopter flew over the USS Fitzgerald in the Gulf of Oman and warned it to steer clear of what Tehran calls its territorial waters.
  • Iranian state media reported that air defense forces placed the helicopter under the protection of Iran’s integrated air defense network during the encounter.
  • Tehran said the destroyer threatened to fire on the aircraft but ultimately altered course to the south after repeated warnings.
  • A U.S. defense official described the exchange as safe and professional with no impact on the ship’s mission and the Navy has not issued an immediate public statement.
  • The incident is the first confirmed aerial-naval face-off since U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June and highlights a growing cycle of maritime confrontations and escalation risks.