The United States has dispatched F-16 fighter jets to the Persian Gulf region in order to safeguard ships from potential Iranian seizures in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to a defense official who spoke to the Associated Press, the F-16 fighters were scheduled to arrive in the region over the weekend. These aircraft will join the A-10 attack aircraft that have been patrolling the Strait of Hormuz for over a week, serving as a deterrent against Iranian ship seizures.
This decision comes in the wake of an incident where Iran attempted to seize two oil tankers near the strait. The U.S. Navy reported that the Iranian navy opened fire on one of the tankers but retreated when a U.S. guided missile destroyer arrived at the scene.
"The Iranian navy did make attempts to seize commercial tankers lawfully transiting international waters," stated Cmdr. Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, as reported by the Associated Press. "The U.S. Navy responded immediately and prevented those seizures."
The U.S. Navy further revealed that an Iranian naval vessel approached the TRF Moss, which is flagged under the Marshall Islands, in the Gulf of Oman. In response, the Navy deployed the destroyer USS McFaul, an MQ-9 Reaper drone, and a P-8 Poseidon patrol plane to deter the Iranian vessel.
Shortly thereafter, the Navy received a distress call from the Richmond Voyager, an oil tanker flagged under the Bahamas, off the coast of Oman. An Iranian naval vessel had closed in on the tanker, ordering it to stop. The U.S. Navy swiftly dispatched the USS McFaul to assist the tanker at maximum speed.
"Prior to McFaul's arrival on scene, Iranian personnel fired multiple, long bursts from both small arms and crew-served weapons," stated the Navy, clarifying that the gunfire did not cause any damage or casualties.
The defense official informed the Associated Press that the arrival of the F-16s in the region will provide air cover for ships navigating through the crucial waterways. Additionally, the increased presence of the U.S. military aims to deter any future Iranian actions of a similar nature.
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