In response to Iran’s escalating threats to ships and oil tankers, the United States has been strengthening its military presence in the Gulf over the past few months.
During a tour at the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Manama, spokesperson Tim Hawkins stated that there is an increasing threat and an escalating danger to ships in the region due to the Iranian interception operations near the strait.
Hawkins further added that currently, the focus is on enhancing our presence in the strait of Hormuz and its vicinity to ensure security and stability in this critically important waterway.
The US military reports that Iran has seized or attempted to take control of nearly 20 vessels in the region over the past two years.
Recently, around 3,000 US troops transited the Red Sea towards American bases in the Gulf. Meanwhile, the US-led international coalition forces warned commercial ships and tankers against approaching Iranian waters.
These developments come in the wake of a series of vessel detentions at the strait of Hormuz, a major conduit through which around five percent of the world’s oil production passes daily.
Recently, Washington stated that its forces thwarted two Iranian attempts to detain merchant vessels in international waters off Oman on July 5th. In April and May, Iran also detained two tankers within a week in regional waters.
