US military to bolster defensive posture in Gulf after Iran seizes tankers

WASHINGTON: The US military will work to bolster the defensive posture in the Gulf region following Iran’s seizure of commercial shipping vessels in recent months, US officials said.

In the past two years, Iran has harassed, attacked or interfered with the navigational rights of 15 internationally flagged commercial vessels, officials alleged.

“The Department of Defense will be making a series of moves to bolster our defensive posture in the Arabian Gulf,” White House spokesperson John Kirby told a news briefing.

Kirby added that in the coming weeks there would be an attempt to “increase coordination and interoperability” with allies in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Navy’s Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said it was working with regional allies to increase the rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling around the Strait of Hormuz.

A spokesperson from the US military’s Florida-based Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East, said the United States was discussing options with regional partners.

“Any decisions about force posture will be made after consulting with our allies and will be consistent with the collective desire to ensure the safety and freedom of navigation for all nation,” the spokesperson said.

The moves come after Iran seized a second oil tanker in a week in Gulf waters earlier this month, and the State Department called for its release in the latest escalation in a series of actions against commercial vessels in Gulf waters since 2019.