Top Iranian commander reveals details of maritime battle with Israel

TEHRAN, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) — A top Iranian military commander said on Saturday his country had, some time ago, hit 12 Israeli vessels north of the Indian Ocean and elsewhere in response to Israel’s attacks on 14 Iranian ships, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Hossein Salami, chief commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), made the remarks during a meeting in the capital Tehran between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and commanders of the Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters, an Iranian firm controlled by the IRGC.
He was detailing a maritime battle between Iran and Israel that occurred sometime after the reimposition of U.S. sanctions on Tehran in 2018, though he did not specify the exact dates of the battle or related events.
According to Salami, Israel hit 14 Iranian ships to disrupt Iran’s oil exports. “Initially, we did not realize who or which country was targeting the ships, but we eventually found out that it was Israel that had done it in a secretive and vague manner.”
“North of the Indian Ocean and in different places, we hit 12 Israeli ships. After hitting the fifth vessel, they raised their hands in surrender and said they would cease the war between the ships,” he said. ■