The U.S. Navy redirected the destroyer USS McFaul in order to stop Iran from seizing two commercial oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, the sea service said on Wednesday.
Since 2021, Iran has harassed, attacked, or seized nearly 20 internationally flagged merchant vessels, explained the Navy in a statement, adding that the country presents a clear threat to regional maritime security and the global economy.
An Iranian vessel approached the first tanker early Wednesday and only turned around when USS McFaul arrived. Hours later, the Iranian navy approached a different tanker, at which point the crew sent a distress call to the U.S. Navy for assistance. Iranian personnel opened fire on the commercial tanker but again departed once USS McFaul came onto the scene.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the entire [U.S. Naval Forces Central Command] team, especially the exceptional effort by the McFaul crew, for immediately responding and preventing another seizure,” said Vice Admiral Brad Cooper. “We remain vigilant and ready to protect navigational rights in these critical waters.”
Since May, the U.S. has increased the rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling the Strait of Hormuz, which divides the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman and, ultimately, the open ocean. At its narrowest, the Strait is only 21 miles wide.
On several occasions in recent years, Iran has threatened to close the channel and deal a significant blow to international trade, including in 2018 when the Trump administration withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal.
U.S. defense hawks have cited Iran’s hostility towards international vessels as just one reason among many that the Biden administration should stop courting the regime in Tehran. Since President Joe Biden took office, the U.S. has vacillated between seeking a return to the deal the Obama administration negotiated and stopgap solutions. The U.S. has also pressured allies not to proscribe Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“Rather than using United States diplomatic leverage and military deterrence to dissuade Iran from engaging in these malign activities, this Administration is rewarding Iran’s bad behavior in exchange for a false promise of de-escalation,” wrote House Foreign Affairs chairman Michael McCaul to Biden last month.
McCaul pointed out that the country has continued its brutal crackdown on its citizens and enabled proxies to attack U.S. troops in the Middle East. The chairman added that Iran is fueling the Russian invasion of Ukraine by providing drones and other weapons.
According to McCaul, any agreement must completely end Iran’s nuclear program rather than cap it if the U.S. is to end its economic blockade of Iran.