PROVOCATION

You have to wonder why Iranian gunboats would aggressively approach three significant elements of the United States Navy: a cruiser, a destroyer, and a frigate.

There is no question here of testing the sensitivity of target acquisition equipment.
There was no apology.
There should have been.

Rival naval forces routinely do this. Months ago, a PRC submarine surfaced within the secure zone around a US carrier battle group.

The PRC immediately apologized.
They were right to do so.

The sub no doubt was practicing silent approaches to the US carrier group.

The Russian Air Force routinely violates national air space of neighboring countries to check out detection capabilities. When discovered, they quickly turn away.
This is relatively routine.

In the PRC and Russian cases described above, there was little danger of combat occurring.

In the Iranian case, however, it was only the restraint of the US commanding officers that prevented the death of many Iranians.

How odd.

Iran is a piece of work, a dangerous nation to trust with serious weaponry.