 |
| Image Credit: Google |
The United
States Navy, along with the United Kingdom's Royal Navy, responded to an
incident in the vital Strait of Hormuz where a merchant ship was allegedly
harassed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
The situation
unfolded as three armed fast-attack Guard vessels approached the commercial
vessel at close proximity, compelling the intervention of naval forces.
Details of the
incident:
On Sunday
afternoon, the United States Navy confirmed through a statement that the
harassment incident took place which involved three Iranian Revolutionary Guard
vessels.
The US Navy
released black-and-white images, captured by a Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft,
which depicted the small ships in close proximity to the merchant vessel.
In an abrupt Response,
the USS McFaul, a guided-missile destroyer from the US Navy, and the HMS
Lancaster, a frigate from the Royal Navy, swiftly intervened.
The Royal
Navy's helicopter was deployed from the Lancaster to assess the situation.
 |
| Black-and-White Image revealed by US Navy Image Credit: Google |
De-escalation
and Resolution:
Approximately
an hour after the incident began, the merchant ship confirmed that the
fast-attack craft had departed the scene.
Following the
deescalation, the merchant ship continued its transit through the Strait of
Hormuz without any further disturbances.
This swift
resolution ensured the safety of the vessel and its crew.
Significance of
the Strait of Hormuz:
The Strait of
Hormuz serves as a crucial passageway for approximately 20% of the world's oil,
making it a strategically important maritime route.
Its narrow
mouth connects the Persian Gulf to the open waters, facilitating the
transportation of oil and other goods between various regions.
Identification
of the Involved Vessel:
Although the US
Navy did not disclose the name of the vessel involved, analysis of
ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic.com by The Associated Press indicated
that the incident involved the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Venture.
The vessel's
erratic course changes during its passage through the strait aligned with the
reported incident.
Additionally,
the vessel's appearance matched the images released by the US Navy.
Trust Bulkers,
the registered manager of the Venture, has not provided any immediate comments
regarding the incident.
Iran's Response
and Context:
Neither Iranian
state media nor the Revolutionary Guard immediately acknowledged the incident.
The Iranian
mission to the United Nations has not yet responded to requests for comments.
This incident
follows a series of maritime confrontations involving Iran since the United
States unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.
Recent other
Maritime Incidents:
In a separate
development, it is suspected that the US seized the Suez Rajan, a tanker linked
to a US private equity firm, which was believed to be carrying sanctioned
Iranian crude oil off the coast of Singapore.
While the
seizure has not been officially confirmed, ship-tracking data analyzed by the
Associated Press suggests that the Suez Rajan is currently located near
Galveston, Texas.
In April, Iran
seized the Advantage Sweet, a Turkish-operated tanker owned by a Chinese
company, carrying Kuwaiti crude oil destined for the US energy firm Chevron.
Iran claimed
that the tanker collided with an unidentified Iranian vessel shortly before its
seizure.
Additionally,
in early May, Iran seized the Niovi, a Panama-flagged tanker, as it was leaving
a dry dock in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, bound for Fujairah on the UAE's
eastern coast.
Although the
Niovi was not carrying any cargo at the time, data from S&P Global Market
Intelligence, seen by the Associated Press, indicated that the vessel received
oil in July 2020 from a ship known as the Oman Pride.
The US Treasury
in August 2021 sanctioned the Oman Pride and others associated with the vessel
over it being “involved in an international oil smuggling network”.
This had allegedly supported the Quds Force, the expeditionary unit of the Guard that operates across the Middle East.
(Courtesy: Al-Jazeera)
0 Comments