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The Pentagon confirmed shots were fired in the Persian Gulf today after the Iranian craft came within 150ft of it.

US Defense officials said the Iranian boat is thought to have been operated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

They said that despite warnings – including radio calls, firing flares, and five short whistle blasts – the Iranian ship carried on sailing towards the Navy boat.

The armed boat from the Islamic Republic then ceased its "provocative" actions, but is said to have "lingered" in the area.

(Image: GETTY)

There were several US Navy ships in the immediate area at the time of the incident today, which were carrying out routine patrol operations in international waters, US officials added.

The latest incident will raise fears of a conflict between the two countries.

In June, the US military called the actions of an Iranian vessel "unsafe and unprofessional" after it aimed a laser at a US helicopter that was accompanying a formation of American ships in the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz.

United States officials also previously accused an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ship of acting in an "unprofessional" and "provocative" manner when it approached an American destroyer, the USS Mahan, while it was sailing in the Persian Gulf in April.

Just weeks ago, White House advisor Rudy Giuliani warned the Iranian regime poses a bigger threat to the world than North Korea.

The former New York mayor said: “Iran is our biggest enemy, Iran is our fiercest enemy. It is the greatest danger to freedom in the world.

“Our long term danger is Iran.

“Iran [is] a bigger threat than North Korea, it is expanding into an empire. North Korea is contained.

“They have more technological capability and they have what is truly an insane regime."