US mulls deploying armed troops on commercial ships near Iran.
The U.S. Considers Unprecedented Move of Putting Armed Troops on Commercial Ships Traveling Near Iran
The U.S. military is considering a bold action to protect civilian vessels from Iran’s seizure and harassment in the Strait of Hormuz. This move, if implemented, would involve placing armed personnel on commercial ships, a measure that has never been taken before, according to four American officials who spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday.
Even during the intense “Tanker War” in 1988, where the U.S. Navy and Iran engaged in a significant naval battle, armed guards were not deployed on commercial ships. However, the current plan comes as thousands of Marines and sailors from the USS Bataan and USS Carter Hall are en route to the Persian Gulf, potentially forming the backbone of any armed guard mission in the strait. This strategic waterway accounts for 20 percent of the world’s crude oil transportation.
While details of the plan remain scarce, the proposal has caught Iran’s attention. The country’s mission to the United Nations has not yet responded to the U.S. proposal. However, four U.S. officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed the broad details of the plan. They emphasized that no final decision has been made and that discussions are ongoing between U.S. military officials and America’s Gulf Arab allies in the region.
The security provided by the Marines and Navy sailors would only be offered upon the request of the ships involved. The USS Bataan and USS Carter Hall embarked on their mission from Norfolk, Virginia, on July 10, in response to Iran’s recent attempts to disrupt commerce in the Strait of Hormuz. The Bataan has already passed through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea on its way to the Middle East.
In addition to the potential deployment of armed troops, the U.S. has already sent various military assets to the region, including A-10 Thunderbolt II warplanes, F-16 and F-35 fighters, and the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner. These actions have drawn Iran’s attention, with its chief diplomat expressing opposition to foreign nations providing security in the region. As a show of force, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard conducted a surprise military drill in the Persian Gulf, involving small fast boats, paratroopers, and missile units.
These escalating tensions coincide with Iran’s recent decision to enrich uranium closer to weapons-grade levels following the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Furthermore, the U.S. has been actively pursuing ships worldwide suspected of carrying sanctioned Iranian oil. Concerns within the oil industry about potential seizures by Iran have led to a stranded ship allegedly carrying Iranian oil off the Texas coast, as no company has been willing to unload it.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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