In the 1980s, a highly bloody war was fought between Iran and Iraq. Due to the stalemate, both sides began targeting commercial ships in the Persian Gulf in an effort to damage each other's economy and force the opponent into submission. The United States, eager to regain influence in the region after the 1979 revolution that had ousted one of their main allies, the Shah of Persia, initiated a naval patrol mission in the Gulf in accordance with the UN resolution of July 20, 1987. From that moment, an escalation began that would eventually lead to direct confrontation.

On September 2, the Italian cargo ship Jolly Rubino was damaged by Iranian speedboats, prompting the first American response, which resulted in the sinking of one of the Iranian boats. Tensions mounted, and the following year, in the spring, a major incident occurred: on April 14, the American frigate *Roberts* struck an Iranian mine. As mines were a clear red line, the U.S. decided on a full-scale retaliation. The targets were Iran's oil platforms in Sassan and Sirri in the Gulf, with the operation code-named "Praying Mantis."

A carrier, three frigates, four destroyers, and a cruiser were mobilized. Between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM on April 18, two strike groups attacked the oil platforms, heavily damaging them. The Sassan platform, abandoned by the Iranians, was mined and sunk, while the Sirri platform was left standing due to the approach of the Iranian fleet. Iran sent two frigates and a gunboat, supported by about seven assault boats and several F4 Phantom aircraft. Half of the boats were sunk by precise cluster bomb strikes from A-6 attack aircraft. The two frigates and the gunboat were attacked from both air and sea with Harpoon missiles and F-14 Tomcat fighters, quickly becoming wrecks. The Iranian F4s were forced to retreat due to anti-aircraft fire and the precision of the F-14s, which launched themselves at the opposing squadron, driving them into flight.

This was the largest U.S. naval-air battle since World War II.