Iran tries to seize ship

Five armed Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps boats unsuccessfully tried to seize a British oil tanker in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, according to two U. S. officials with direct knowledge of the incident.

The British Heritage tanker was sailing out of the Persian Gulf and crossing into the Strait of Hormuz area when it was approached by the Iranian boats. The Iranians ordered the tanker to change course and stop in nearby Iranian territorial waters, according to the officials. A U. S. aircraft flying overhead recorded video of the incident.

The Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose was escorting the tanker from the rear. It trained its deck guns on the Iranians and warned them to back away, which they did.