U.S. Forces Support Deterrence Efforts At Strait Of Hormuz
by Todd Lopez, DOD News
August 14, 2023 "As we have been for a very long time, we're coordinating with our partners in the region when it comes to U.S. military presence because, again, it's not just the U.S. military that's out there patrolling commercial shipping lanes. We're working as part of a broader coalition ... on that effort," Ryder said told reporters.
Sailors and Marines arrived in the region aboard the USS Bataan, an amphibious assault ship, and dock landing ship USS Carter Hall. 
Top... August 3, 2023 - The USS Bataan and the USS Carter Hall sail on the Mediterranean Sea towards the Middle East with arrival on August 5, 2023. The Bataan is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship; the Carter Hall is a Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship.
Bottom... August 6, 2023 - An L3 Harris Arabian Fox MAST-13 unmanned surface vessel, U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutter USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC 1141), dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE 6) and guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) sail together during a transit through the Strait of Hormuz. (Image created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. Navy photos by Petty Officer 3rd Class Alisha Gleason and NAVCENT Public Affairs.)
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Last month, the Iranian navy attempted to illegally seize two merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.
According to a news report from U.S. Central Command, on July 5, 2023 U.S. forces already in Centcom's area of responsibility participated in preventing two commercial tanker ships from being seized by the Iranian military in international waters near the coast of Oman.
One of those ships, the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker TRF Moss, was approached by an Iranian naval vessel, but the naval vessel departed after the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul arrived.
Later the same day, the Bahamian-flagged oil tanker Richmond Voyager was also approached by an Iranian naval vessel. That Iranian naval vessel got within one mile of the tanker and fired on it using small arms and crew-served weapons. As happened with the TRF Moss, the Iranian vessel left when the USS McFaul arrived on the scene.
According to Centcom, Iran has attacked or seized about 20 merchant vessels since 2021.
Ryder said the increased U.S. presence in the Middle East is meant to help partners there keep open important shipping lanes such as at the Strait of Hormuz, which is a choke point between the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf. It also contributes further to a long-standing goal of preserving security and stability in the region.
"That's why we've deployed these additional assets, to give us additional options, to speed up timelines and, again, broadly, to ensure stability," Ryder said.
According to a news release from U.S. Central Command, an amphibious assault ship, such as the USS Bataan, can carry more than two dozen rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft. That could include MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and AV-8B Harrier attack jets, in addition to several amphibious landing craft. A dock landing ship, such as the USS Carter Hall, also supports operations for various rotary-wing aircraft, tactical vehicles, and amphibious landing craft. U.S. Department of Defense Our Valiant Troops | I Am The One | Uncommon Valor | Veterans | Citizens Like Us | Spouses Serve Too | |
