DUBAI: Iran has strengthened its Revolutionary Guards’ navy by equipping it with drones and missiles with a range of up to 1,000 km, according to Iranian news agencies’ reports on Saturday. This development comes as the US offers to deploy guards on commercial ships passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.
Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that the Revolutionary Guards’ navy has now acquired various types of drones and several hundred cruise and ballistic missiles, which have a range of 300 to 1,000 km, enhancing its capabilities.
In response to Iran’s recent seizure and harassment of vessels in the region, the United States announced this week that it could soon offer to deploy armed sailors and Marines on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The move aims to provide protection to commercial vessels and maintain the security of the crucial waterway, through which about a fifth of the world’s crude oil passes between Iran and Oman.
US Taking Precautionary Measures
The tensions in the region have prompted the US to take precautionary measures, with Washington announcing the deployment of additional F-35 and F-16 fighter jets and a warship to the Middle East to monitor the waterways.
Iran has often claimed that detained vessels committed shipping violations, and some have been released only after detained Iranian ships were freed by foreign countries.
The Revolutionary Guards’ Navy Commander, Alireza Tangsiri, highlighted the enhanced capabilities of the newly acquired missiles, stating that they have better precision and longer range. He added that the cruise missiles have the capability to attack multiple targets simultaneously, and their commands can be altered after take-off.
