Intimidation Tactics: Iranian Long Range Missiles Struck Within 100 Miles of American Aircraft Carrier

Amid high tensions between Iran and the United States, and multiple overflights of the Persian Gulf by U.S. Air Force nuclear capable B-52H bombers, Iran had carried out a form of intimidation of its own by firing long range missiles in the vicinity of an American carrier strike group. Missiles landed approximately 100 miles away from the carrier USS Nimitz in the Indian Ocean, with at least two exploding when they hit the surface and sending debris in all directions. Although the missiles were not visible to carrier group's crew, U.S. satellites reportedly tracked the missile launches. The USS Nimitz has been deployed to the Middle East since April 2020, and had its stay in the area extended as tensions with Iran escalated around the anniversary of the CIA assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani on January 3rd. Iran has relied heavily on ballistic missiles to asymmetrically deter U.S. and other Western forces, and has developed a number of systems capable of targeting moving warships at sea at high speed.