The US Navy on Wednesday accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of harassing American ships in the Gulf amid heightened tension between Tehran and Washington.
The US Fifth Fleet tweeted that 11 Iranian vessels “repeatedly conducted dangerous and harassing approaches" towards US Navy ships in the north Arabian Gulf.
It also released a video documenting the incident.
It said that the US crew took action "deemed appropriate to avoid collision”.
The US Navy said there were no casualties but one vessel came to within 10 metres of its ship.
The US Navy said the Republican Guard ships repeatedly crossed the bows and sterns of the US vessels at very close range and high speeds.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the Fox News channel that the US was evaluating its response to the incident.
Asked whether he had discussed the incident with the Pentagon, Mr Pompeo said: "We've talked as a team. ... We're evaluating how best to respond and how best to communicate our displeasure with what ... took place."
The Revolutionary Guard was blamed after a Hong Kong-flagged ship was boarded in the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday.
The UK Maritime Trade Organisation said later on Tuesday that the vessel had been released and was “under control of the master”, with all of its crew safe.
The maritime organisation said the vessel "had been boarded by armed men while at anchor" near the strait off the coast of Iran.
Last year, Iran was accused by the US of launching attacks against several oil tankers.
Iran seized at least one British-flagged tanker and approached another.
Iran also shot down a US drone last June, and its leaders have called on US navy to leave the region.
But the US administration of President Donald Trump sent more ships to the area, and threatened Iran with a harsh response in an event of an attack.
In response to the ship attacks, the International Maritime Security Construct, based in Bahrain, was launched in November.
It is designed to protect navigation in the Gulf, including the Strait of Hormuz.
Manama, Bahrain's capital, is also where the US Fifth Fleet is based.
Washington and other western powers have accused Tehran of lashing out after the US withdrew from the nuclear deal signed with world powers in 2015.
It imposed crippling sanctions on the Iranian economy to disrupt its activity across the Middle East.
Earlier on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said the world was learning that the US "kills people".
Mr Zarif's comments came after Mr Trump suspended US funding for the World Health Organisation amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Plastic tipping points
INFO
Schools can register for the Abu Dhabi Schools Championships at www.champions.adsc.ae
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KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
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The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021?
MATCH INFO
Serie A
Juventus v Fiorentina, Saturday, 8pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
If you go
The flights
Fly direct to London from the UAE with Etihad, Emirates, British Airways or Virgin Atlantic from about Dh2,500 return including taxes.
The hotel
Rooms at the convenient and art-conscious Andaz London Liverpool Street cost from £167 (Dh800) per night including taxes.
The tour
The Shoreditch Street Art Tour costs from £15 (Dh73) per person for approximately three hours.
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
Overview
What: The Arab Women’s Sports Tournament is a biennial multisport event exclusively for Arab women athletes.
When: From Sunday, February 2, to Wednesday, February 12.
Where: At 13 different centres across Sharjah.
Disciplines: Athletics, archery, basketball, fencing, Karate, table tennis, shooting (rifle and pistol), show jumping and volleyball.
Participating countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar and UAE.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Price: From Dh180,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 320hp @ 5,700rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.7L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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