USS Stark Incident

Date: May 17, 1987 • Location: Fuwayriţ, Qatar

An Iraqi jet fired two Exocet missiles at the American frigate USS Stark, killing 37 personnel and injuring 21 others.

The USS Stark incident occurred during the Iran–Iraq War in the Persian Gulf on 17 May 1987, when an Iraqi jet aircraft fired two Exocet missiles at the U.S. frigate USS Stark. A total of 37 United States Navy personnel were killed or later died as a result of the attack, and 21 were injured. Iraq apologized, and Saddam Hussein said that the pilot mistook the frigate for an Iranian tanker.