More than 3,000 American sailors and marines arrived in the Middle East last Sunday, the US Naval Forces Central Command reported this Tuesday.
According to its statement, the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan and the landing ship USS Carter Hall sailed through the Suez Canal and entered the Red Sea.
He indicated that the deployment of these additional forces had been previously announced by the Department of Defense.
For his part, US Fifth Fleet spokesman Commander Tim Hawkins stated that “these units add significant operational flexibility and capability as we work alongside international partners to deter destabilizing activity and de-escalate regional tensions caused by the harassment by Iran and the capture of merchant ships earlier this year,” reports The Hill.
According to the senior military official, the sending of troops shows “the strong unwavering commitment to regional maritime security.” The deployment of a destroyer and several fighters
In July, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment of the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner and several F-35 and F-16 fighters to the Middle East following an alleged attempt by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to capture two merchant oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz at the beginning of the month.
According to the North American Navy, an Iranian warship tried to intercept the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker TRF Moss on July 5 in international waters of the Gulf of Oman. In response, the destroyer USS McFaul was dispatched. Hours later, US forces received “a distress call” from the Bahamas-flagged Richmond Voyager, which had been approached by another Iranian ship that “fired numerous shots” at the tanker, which suffered no significant damage or casualties among its crew. crew.
«In the face of this continued threat, and in coordination with our partners and allies, the Department [de Defensa] “It increases our presence and ability to monitor the strait and surrounding waters,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh. With RT
