WASHINGTON: The United States (US) Friday said it was sending reinforcements to the Gulf after what it called increasing harassment by Iran of ships in the oil-rich waters.
“The Department of Defence will be making a series of moves to bolster our defensive posture” in the Gulf, John Kirby, National Security Council spokesman told reporters, saying there would be “details on those reinforcements in coming days.”
The United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, in a statement said that it was “working with regional allies and partners to increase the rotation of ships and aircraft” that patrol the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial chokepoint into the Gulf.
Kirby said that Iran, which has tense relations with the US, has “harassed, attacked or interfered” with 15 internationally flagged merchant vessels over the past 15 years. “We’ve seen repeated Iranian threats, arm seizures and attacks against commercial shippers who are exercising their navigational rights and freedoms in international waters and strategic waterways of the region,” said John Kirby.
“The US will not allow foreign or regional powers to jeopardize freedom of navigation through the Middle East waterways including the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.
