HARASSMENT

Officials: Iranian Vessel Pointed Weapon at U.S. Helicopter

Officials warn the move could have sparked a retaliation.

An Iranian vessel in the Strait of Hormuz pointed a weapon at a U.S. helicopter Saturday in an incident two U.S. defense officials called “unsafe and unprofessional.” While those on the helicopter did not feel threatened, the move could have sparked a retaliation or escalation, the officials told Reuters on Monday on condition of anonymity. The action of the vessel, controlled by Islamic Revolutionary Guardsmen, is just the latest in a string of similar behaviors, yet the first such incident since Donald Trump won the presidential election. Trump took a tough stance on Iran during his campaign, vowing that any Iranian vessel that gives U.S. forces a hard time would be “shot out of the water” if he were in charge.