US May Arm Commercial Ships in Strait of Hormuz to Stop Iran Seizures

Voice of America News reports: “The U.S. military is considering putting armed personnel on commercial ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, in what would be an unprecedented action aimed at stopping Iran from seizing and harassing civilian vessels, four American officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The U.S. didn’t even take the step during the so-called ‘Tanker War,’ which culminated with the U.S. Navy and Iran fighting a one-day naval battle in 1988 that was the Navy’s largest since World War II.

While officials offered few details of the plan, it comes as thousands of Marines and sailors on both the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan and the USS Carter Hall, a landing ship, are on their way to the Persian Gulf. Those Marines and sailors could provide the backbone for any armed guard mission in the strait, through which 20% of all the world’s crude oil passes…”

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