Iran Military Stages Attack of Mock U.S. Aircraft Carrier

Iran's military staged mock attacks of a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, suggesting that such attacks would be held in a war situation. The U.S. has downplayed the drill, saying the American military is fully capable of defending itself.

The drill, called the Great Prophet 9, was held in the Strait of Hormuz recently and involved members of the Iran Revolutionary Guard traveling by boat to fire missiles at the mock-U.S. aircraft carrier. Military members also practiced shooting down drones and positioning mines under the sea.

In regard to the exercises, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani told Fars News that: "With attention to the situation in the region, we have noticeably expanded the defense budget of the armed forces to ensure the stable security of the region."

According to Reuters, a press conference held before the military drill had a banner which read: "If the Americans are ready to be buried at the bottom of the waters of the Persian Gulf - so be it." The words are a quote from Iran's first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

U.S. military officials have played down the recent drill, with Cmdr. Kevin Stephens, the spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain, telling the Associated Press that the U.S. military is "not concerned about this exercise."

"We're quite confident of our naval forces' ability to defend themselves," he said. "It seems they've attempted to destroy the equivalent of a Hollywood movie set."