Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — The US Fifth Fleet announced, Friday, “working with allies and regional partners to increase the rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling in and around the Strait of Hormuz.”
The fleet said, in a statement posted on Twitter, that this decision comes “in the wake of Iran’s illegal seizure of commercial vessels recently.”
“The force’s increased presence supports multinational efforts to deter threats to commercial shipping and reassure regional seafarers,” the statement added.
He continued, “In addition to the intensive patrols, the US Fifth Fleet is working to enhance international maritime security cooperation between the International Maritime Security Authority and the European Maritime Outreach in the Strait of Hormuz.”
“The unjustified, irresponsible, and illegal Iranian seizure and harassment of merchant ships must stop,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Naval Forces Central Command. “We (the Fifth Fleet and our partners) are committed to protecting navigation rights in these important waters.”
The statement stated that Iran had “harassed, attacked or interfered with the navigational rights of 15 commercial vessels flying an international flag over the past two years.”
In a statement, the US Navy described this pattern of behavior as “destabilizing, which contradicts international law and undermines regional security.”
