US Takes Action: Deploying Marines on Commercial Ships to Deter Iranian Seizures

After an upsurge of vessel seizures by Iranian forces within the Middle East, the U.S. military is preparing to deploy equipped Marines and sailors aboard the commercial ships of interested private corporations.

The initiative has not yet received final sanction, yet it has the support of senior Biden administration officials and could begin as early as this month, according to a government official who requested anonymity to talk about sensitive military planning. 

Marines from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, have been flown to Bahrain and trained there; additional personnel will shortly arrive aboard American warships.

Another U.S. official confirmed that the proposal is being discussed at the Pentagon, but stressed that it has not yet been approved.

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Iranian Forces Tried to Commandeer Civilian Tanker Ships

The first official identified the 5th of July as a turning point in U.S. deliberations on the issue. Iranian forces attempted to seize two civilian tanker ships on the same day, firing on and damaging the Richmond Voyager, according to Navy officials at the time. After the board of the destroyer USS McFaul, Iranian forces retreated.

U.S. and British warships responded to a distress call on June 4 from a merchant vessel traversing the Strait of Hormuz, where three Iranian fast-attack boats were harassing the vessel, according to Navy officials. 

In response, the McFaul as well as the Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster launched a helicopter to drive the Iranian ships away.

In accordance with the Navy, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commandeered the oil tanker Niovi in the Strait of Hormuz in May. 

The civilian vessel had left Dubai and was heading back to the United Arab Emirates when it was enveloped by twelve fast-attack vessels. In April, Iran seized the oil tanker Advantage Sweet in a similar manner.

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Source: WASHINGTONPOST