Increase of US forces in Gulf sign of growing US-Iran tensions

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Associated Press
1 Aug 2023 15:34
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According to AP, the dispatch of aircraft carriers to the Gulf comes as the US "wants to focus on China and Russia."

In this handout photo from the US Air Force, a US Air-Force 10 Thunderbolt II receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker near the Strait of Hormuz (AP)

A buildup of US forces across the Persian Gulf is fueling speculation that a possible US-Iran conflict may be nearing, Jon Gambrell says in a report for the Associated Press.

A week ago, the US Department of Defense announced that it would send two landing ships USS Bataan and USS Carter Hall to the Strait of Hormuz.

"In response to Iran’s recent attempts to jeopardize the free flow of trade in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters, the Secretary of Defense has ordered the deployment of part of the BATAAN <…> Marine Amphibious Force / Expeditionary Unit to USCENTCOM’s area of responsibility," the military announced.

According to AP, the dispatch of aircraft carriers to the Gulf comes as the US "wants to focus on China and Russia."

The report however cites Iran's uranium enrichment as the main reason behind the US' military buildup in the region.

Amid dying prospects for reviving the JCPOA deal, the US has in recent months accused Iran of allegedly harassing ships attempting to make their way through the Strait.

Evidence has shown time after time that the ships that were seized by the IRGC naval forces were carrying looted oil and other commodities belonging to Iran.

Tehran said the US presence in the Gulf hinders its security objectives, as smugglers find routes of escape under US protection.

"For the US, keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping remains a priority to ensure global energy prices don’t spike,", particularly as Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine puts pressure downwards on the markets, AP states.

"Gulf Arab nations need the waterway to get their oil to market and worry about Iran’s intentions in the wider region," the report further reads without providing relevant evidence to support such a statement. "Those fears have cemented the longtime American presence in the Persian Gulf."

According to the report, the dispatch of aircraft carriers patrolling the Gulf was previously carried out twice in the past. The first time was to provide fighter jets for the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, and the second was to provide jets for the battle against ISIS.

But as the US began to wind down its naval presence, worries began to mount amongst Gulf Arab states, the report states, downplaying the fact that Iran and Saudi Arabia have recently struck an agreement to restore diplomatic ties.

The report states that "America’s wars in the region may be finished," but that is far from the truth as Gambrell suggests.

In the last two decades, the Arab region has lived through some of the worst escalations histories has ever witnessed -- with the destruction of Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Yemen, the spread of extremist movements, and the corruption amongst higher ranks, sparking civil conflicts and bankrupting entire countries.

And there is far worse to come. As Al Mayadeen experts suggest, the buildup of the US military in the gulf has more to do with China's growing influence in the region than Iran's uranium enrichment.

It says that in recent months, the US military has once again begun to build up its military presence.

"In late March, A-10 Thunderbolt II warplanes arrived at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. The Pentagon ordered F-16 fighters, as well as the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, to the region. Stealth F-35A Lightning II fighter jets arrived last week."

Yet only a day ago, China's Defense Ministry announced that China and the UAE are planning to hold their first joint air force exercises in August.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, the drills will take place in north-western China, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

"This will be the first joint China-UAE air force exercise. It is aimed at deepening practical exchanges and cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries, as well as strengthening mutual understanding and mutual trust," China’s defense ministry said.

From Iran's perspective, the deployment of F-16 fighter jets in the Strait of Hormuz represents a serious provocation. On July 17, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani pointed out that Washington has never played a peaceful and beneficial role in the region.

On July 24, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, stated that Iran's air force has made the airspace safe all over the nation, indicating that no enemy can breach or invade the Republic's airspace.

Bagheri explained how "various drone operations, manned fighter aircraft operations, as well as transport, support, fuel supply, and air ambulance aircraft were able to successfully carry out their assigned missions" and successfully took place in the Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Northeast, Northwest, and other parts of the country as well.