New Delhi, July 24 -- An Iranian navy helicopter confronted a U.S. warship attempting to approach Iranian territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday, Iranian state TV reported.

The incident was the first direct encounter reported between Iranian and U.S. forces since the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, which also saw the U.S. B-52 bombers strike nuclear-related facilities in the Islamic Republic.

The report said Iranian forces dispatched the helicopter to confront a U.S. Navy destroyer identified as the USS Fitzgerald that approached the waters at around 10 a.m. local time.

The Iranian state TV said the helicopter flew directly over the U.S. ship and issued a warning to maintain distance. In what the report described as a ...