Strait of Hormuz
According to the British government, three IRGC vessels “attempted to impede” the tanker “British Heritage,” backing down only after verbal warnings from a Royal Navy warship.
“We’re engaging now with a number of countries to see if we can put together a coalition that would ensure freedom of navigation both in the Straits of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab,” said chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford
“Our deterrence and secret weapons have stopped the filthy enemy 200 miles away [from Iranian borders] in the Strait of Hormuz,” says Brig. Gen. Alireza Sabahifard.
The deployment, which is intended to “defend American forces and interests,” according to the U.S. military, comes after a string of attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz attributed to Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump announces “major” sanctions just days after nearly bombing Iran for downing an American surveillance drone.
Israel is preparing for the possibility of being dragged into the escalation.
Official says Iran downed a RQ-4A Global Hawk UAV in international airspace, contradicting Iran’s claim that it penetrated Iranian airspace.
As tensions rise between the United States and Iran, the Pentagon has authorized the deployment of a Patriot missile battery to the Mideast.
The strait lies between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman as the sole maritime passage from the former to the open ocean.