“Concerning Events”
US military sends warships to the Gulf region
07/21/2023, 11:45 am
The American military is increasing its presence in the Gulf region. The reason for this is a series of “worrying events” in the Strait of Hormuz. The strait between Iran and the United Arab Emirates is one of the most important routes for the transport of oil.
The US is sending more warships and armed forces to the Gulf region. According to the US military’s regional command, the decision was made in response to Iran’s recent attempts to detain merchant ships in the Persian Gulf.
The aim is to secure the freedom of navigation in the region. The Pentagon did not provide any further information on the scope of the operation. The US Department of Defense announced on Monday that it would send several fighter jets and a US destroyer to the region. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment in response to a series of “worrying events,” a ministry spokesman said in Washington on Monday.
Alleged merchant ship attacked
The US has accused the Iranian Navy of attempting to seize two merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the adjacent Gulf of Oman in early July. According to the American account, one of the ships had been shot at. Iran denied. In the past there have been repeated incidents involving tankers in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
The US Department of Defense called on Iran to stop “destabilizing activities” immediately. In particular, the Strait of Hormuz, an approximately 55-kilometer-wide strait between Iran and Oman, is considered one of the most important shipping routes for global oil exports.