On July 6, 1988, the USS Vincennes, a U.S. Navy warship, mistakenly shot down Iran Air Flight 655, killing all 290 passengers aboard. The flight was en route from Tehran to Dubai when it was targeted, and the crew of the Vincennes misidentified the passenger plane as a hostile military aircraft. The tragedy occurred during the Gulf War, amidst heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. government later expressed regret, but the incident caused lasting diplomatic friction. The attack became a symbol of the dangers of military miscommunication.