US and UK Naval Forces Come to the Aid of Ship Harassed by Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz

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)