(AP-Washington Post) Lolita C. Baldor - The U.S. military is considering putting armed personnel on commercial ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz to stop Iran from seizing and harassing civilian vessels, American officials said Thursday. Brig.-Gen. Pat Ryder noted that additional ships, aircraft and Marines have been deployed to the Gulf region, making it easier to respond more quickly to any Iranian provocations. He said the U.S. aims to ensure "the Strait of Hormuz remains open, there's freedom of navigation, and that we're deterring any type of malign activity." White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, "The Strait of Hormuz is a vital seaway that has a huge impact on seaborne trade around the world. It's a critical chokepoint in the maritime world. And we have seen threats by Iran to affect that chokepoint."
2023-08-07 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive