WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 (UPI) — Iran is holding at least two U.S. Navy vessels that were traveling in the Persian Gulf Tuesday but says it will return the ships and their crews, according to officials.
The Pentagon said it lost contact with the vessels in waters between Kuwait and Bahrain, and that it has received assurances from Tehran the ships and crew will be “returned promptly.”
The BBC reported the incident occurred near Farsi Island, an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf, after one or more of the vessels experienced mechanical problems.
At least 10 sailors have been detained, according to CNN.
“We are working to resolve the situation such that obviously the U.S. personnel are returned to their normal deployment,” USA Today quoted White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes as saying.
The incident comes three days after the Pentagon said a U.S. aircraft carrier came within about 1,500 yards of an Iranian rocket while operating in the Strait of Hormuz.
