US says Iran Strait of Hormuz control weakened after tanker seizures

Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

The United States military said Iran’s ability to operate freely in the Strait of Hormuz has deteriorated following a series of tanker seizures and increased patrols by US forces.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters Iran’s influence over the critical waterway has diminished as coalition navies expand their presence, according to US Central Command.

The strait carries 20% of global oil trade. Any restriction threatens energy prices worldwide. Iran has seized 5 commercial vessels since 2019.

Austin spoke aboard the USS Bataan in the Persian Gulf. He said Iran’s navy faces “increasing constraints” from US and partner operations, Central Command reported.

The Pentagon chief visited the amphibious assault ship during a regional tour. He met with commanders overseeing the 5th Fleet area, officials said.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized two oil tankers in May. The MSC Aries and St Nikolas remains held near Bandar Abbas, maritime records show.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported increased Iranian patrols. Small craft approach merchant vessels weekly, the agency said.

US naval forces responded to 14 distress calls from commercial ships in 2023, Central Command data indicated. Most involved Iranian interception attempts.

The Bahrain-based 5th Fleet expanded its Task Force 59 drone operations. Unmanned vessels monitor shipping lanes 24 hours daily, fleet officers said.

European allies joined the US-led maritime security effort. France, Britain and Italy deploy destroyers separately from Washington’s operation, diplomats confirmed.

Commercial insurance rates for Persian Gulf voyages increased 15% since January, Lloyd’s Market Association reported. Ship owners pay war risk premiums.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani rejected Austin’s assessment. “The Islamic Republic maintains complete sovereignty over the Persian Gulf,” state media quoted him saying.

Revolutionary Guards commander Alireza Tangsiri threatened retaliation. “Any hostile vessel faces our missiles,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

The 21-mile wide strait separates Iran from Oman. Its shipping lanes are 2 miles wide in each direction, according to International Maritime Organization charts.

Background

Tensions escalated after the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018. Iran began harassing tankers as sanctions crippled its oil exports, analysts said.

The Revolutionary Guards seized the British-flagged Stena Impero in 2019. Iran held the vessel for 2 months after Britain detained an Iranian tanker near Gibraltar, court documents showed.

The US created the International Maritime Security Construct in 2019. The coalition escorts commercial ships through the strait, Naval Forces Central Command said.

What’s Next

The Pentagon plans to maintain 2 destroyers and coastal patrol ships in the region through 2024. Additional drone surveillance launches next quarter, officials said.

Energy markets will monitor any Iranian response. Oil prices rose 2% Friday on Middle East tensions, Brent crude futures showed.