The aircraft arrived first and were fired upon by three Iranian boats anchored near the buoy.

They sunk two Iranian boats and damaged a third.

A fourth Iranian boat was thought to have escaped.

It was the first time that an Iranian boat had been reported to fire on the American military forces in the gulf.

Last week, for example, an Iranian boat fired on a Liberian-registered tanker.

He referred to the sinking of several small Iranian boats by American helicopters in the last few weeks.

Nearby, a commercial ship was reportedly attacked by Iranian boats.

Pentagon officials said the American ships were about to open fire when the Iranian boats withdrew.

The Iranian boat reportedly then retreated after the shots were fired.

"And this Iranian boat has been missing all this time?"