Michael Connell's Blog

Michael Connell What is the record of interaction between the U.S. and Iranian navies in the Persian Gulf?               The United States and Iran have never officially been at war, but several recent incidents between the U.S. and Iranian navies have had the potential to escalate into…

Michael Connell            Iranian and U.S. naval forces have had sporadic and sometimes hostile interactions since the 1980s.                  ·May 13, 1984: After repeated Iraqi attacks on Iranian shipping and refining facilities, Iran retaliated with attacks on neutral shipping. The tit-…

Michael Connell        Iran launched five-day military exercises on Nov. 16 to test its air defenses in case of an attack on its nuclear sites or other sensitive facilities. The war games—dubbed Defenders of the Sky of Velayat III—are the largest exercises ever held, according to the government.…