An Iranian submarine has made an unsuccessful missile launch attempt in the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. military official confirmed to VOA on Wednesday.

The Yono-class submarine attempted to launch a cruise missile early Tuesday, the military official said.

Last month, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited the region and pledged support for allies’ efforts to counter what he called Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region and resist “Iran’s mischief.”

The latest Iranian action follows an incident last week where a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer fired a warning flare toward an Iranian military vessel in the Persian Gulf.

The USS Mahan made several attempts to contact the Iranian vessel, which came within 1,000 meters of the Mahan before sailing away, officials said.

The USS Mahan also fired three warnings shots at Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attack craft vessels near the Strait of Hormuz in January, which officials told VOA were “traveling right at” the U.S. vessel at a “very high rate of speed.”

“This was an unsafe and unprofessional interaction,” Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said after the incident.
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