Pentagon: Two U.S. Navy Boats Seized in Iran

The Pentagon is saying this afternoon that they lost contact with two Navy boats in the Persian gulf and they are currently in Iranian custody.

A Pentagon spokesman told the AP that the boats––with American sailors on board––were traveling between Kuwait and Bahrain before they lost contact, and now they’re being held in Iran.

However, this spokesman assured, “We have been in contact with Iran and have received assurances that the crew and the vessels will be returned promptly.”

Meanwhile, NBC has gleaned this additional bit of information:

MORE: US officials tell NBC that Iranian forces have seized 10 American sailors, https://t.co/mJjN05iTf6

— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) January 12, 2016

Secretary of State John Kerry has reportedly been in communication with Iranian officials.

UPDATE –– 4:47 pm EST: The two ships were apparently on a training mission at the time:

According to officials, 10 Americans were on a training mission when they experienced mechanical difficulty & drifted into Iranian waters.

— Kate Snow (@tvkatesnow) January 12, 2016

UPDATE –– 5:06 pm EST: Here is how the crisis is being reported by a major Iranian news outlet:

The two boats each had several 50. cal guns and were "snooping around" in Iranian waters, Fars News Agency says

— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) January 12, 2016

UPDATE –– 9:10 pm EST: Before the State of the Union tonight, Kerry told reporters the sailors will be released “very soon.”

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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