U.S. officials claim that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard forces are laying the groundwork to begin a major exercise in the Persian Gulf, a move that could show off their capability of closing the Strait of Hormuz, a new report says.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea, and is considered paramount to international shipping. The U.S. has urged surrounding nations such as Saudi Arabia to remain firm in keeping the waterway open amid threats from Iran to close it.
“We are aware of the increase in Iranian naval operations within the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman. We are monitoring it closely, and will continue to work with our partners to ensure freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce in international waterways,” Capt.William Urban, chief spokesman for U.S. Central Command, told CNN.
The U.S. estimates that Iran has gathered more than 100 boats to participate in the exercises, along with hundreds of Iranian troops and some Iranian air and ground assets. The exercise could start in the next 48 hours.
There are no indications of belligerent intent, but one official said there is “major concern” because the timing is atypical and it looks as though the exercise will be larger than similar exercises previously conducted. Additionally, Iran’s recent threatening messages to the U.S. have prompted concern.
Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis addressed Iran’s increasingly hostile language last week and said that an “international response” would be necessary if the strait were shut down.
“Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz,” Mattis said on Friday. “They’ve done that previously in years past. They saw the international community put — dozens of nations of the international community put their naval forces in for exercises to clear the straits.”
“Clearly, this would be an attack on international shipping, and — and it would have, obviously, an international response to reopen the shipping lanes with whatever that took, because of the world’s economy depends on that energy, those energy supplies flowing out of there,” he added.
