Iranian missiles can hit US warships in Gulf: Official

TEHRAN

Iranian missiles, even short-range ones, can “easily” strike U.S. warships deployed in the Persian Gulf, Mohamed Saleh Jokar, deputy head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, said Friday.

Jokar made the remarks amid steadily mounting tension between Tehran and Washington.

Earlier this week, the U.S. deployed an aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf, citing intelligence of a possible Iranian attack on U.S. interests in the region.

On Thursday, the New York Times cited intelligence sources as saying that Iran had recently deployed military vessels -- armed with missile-launchers -- in the Gulf, raising fears of possible conflict.

On Monday, U.S. warplanes conducted maneuvers over the Gulf in what was widely seen as a message directed at Iran.