At least, that’s the U.S. version of events. Iran responded Friday, confirming that the Coast Guard fired on an Iranian ship known as a dhow, but saying that the incident should not be characterized as a clash, according to an Associated Press report. The U.S. ship involved is the USCGC Monomy.

Adm. Ali Fadavi, the naval chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, then added that “Americans feared and felt danger from a fishing dhow,” and “should be fearful” whenever they are in the Persian Gulf.

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It’s not the first time that Iranians have either mocked or threatened U.S personnel. In May, for example, the same Iranian admiral said that U.S. aircraft carriers — which carry immense firepower and dozens of war planes — would make an “easy target” because they are so large.

“Aircraft carriers are the symbol of America’s military might,” Fadava said, acknowledging Iran is building a replica of one. “The carriers are responsible for supplying America’s air power. So, it’s natural that we want to sink the carriers.”

Separately, an Iranian Fokker F27 patrol plane “buzzed” the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower somewhere in the Middle East in April 2010. U.S. Navy officials downplayed the incident.

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There’s also a famous incident in January 2008 in which Iranian patrol boats were seen in a video released by the U.S. Navy performing harassing maneuvers while threats were broadcast over the radio. Some questioned whether it was really Iranians on the radio, or if it was unrelated hecklers in another ship or onshore.