Missile fired bv one ship hit a second vessel that was too close to the intended target, Iranian media say. The mere reporting of the incident by Tehran points to its severity.

Tehran, Iran — An Iranian missile fired during a live-fire training exercise in the Gulf of Oman struck a support vessel near its target, killing at least one sailor and injured 15 others, Iranian media reported Monday.
The friendly fire incident happened on Sunday near the port of Jask, some 790 miles southeast of Tehran, state TV said.
The missile struck the Konarak, a Hendijan-class support ship, that was taking part in the exercise.
State television described the missile strike as an accident, saying the Konarak was too close to the intended target. The Konarak had been putting targets out in the water for other ships to fire upon, it said.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that another ship accidentally fired the missile into the Konarak, according to the Reuters news agency. “Iran’s Moudge-class frigate Jamaran accidentally shot the Konarak ship with a missile,” Reuters quotes Tasnim as saying.
A local hospital admitted 12 sailors and treated another three with slight wounds, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
Iranian media said the Konarak had been overhauled in 2018 and was able to launch sea and anti-ship missiles. The 155-foot vessel was in service since 1988 and had capacity of 40 tons. It usually carries a crew of 20 sailors.
Iran regularly holds exercises in the region, which is close to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of the world’s oil passes. The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, which monitors the region, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Iranian media rarely report on mishaps during exercises, signaling the severity of the incident.
It comes amid months of heightened tensions between Iran and the U.S. since President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018 and imposed crushing sanctions on the country.