INTERCEPTED

U.S. Rescues Captured Iranians

Had been held by pirates for 45 days.

U.S. aircraft carrier John C. Stennis broke up a pirate attack on Friday and rescued 13 Iranians, who had been held hostage for roughly 45 days. The ship intercepted and captured 15 Somali pirates who had been attacking a vessel called The Sunshine, a cargo ship en route from France to Iran. The pirates were not aware that the Stennis and other U.S. ships were just a few miles from their position. Rear Adm. Craig S. Faller, who was aboard the Stennis during the incident said, “These might be the dumbest pirates ever.” Earlier this week, Iran officials had threatened the Stennis with the “full force” of the Iranian military if it tried to reenter the Persian Gulf.