Thousands of US sailors, Marines reach Red Sea after Iran tensions

Washington is preparing to put armed military personnel aboard commercial tankers transiting the Gulf following tanker seizures by Iran.

The amphibious assault ship USS Bataan, pictured in New York harbour in May 2022.

More than 3000 US military personnel have arrived in the Red Sea aboard two warships, part of a beefed-up ­response from Washington after tanker seizures by Iran.

The deployment adds to a growing US military build-up in tense Gulf waterways vital to the global oil trade and led Tehran on Monday to accuse the US of inflaming regional instability.

The US military says Iran has either seized or attempted to take control of nearly 20 internationally flagged ships in the ­region over the past two years.

The US sailors and marines entered the Red Sea on Sunday after transiting through the Suez Canal. They arrived on board the USS Bataan and USS Carter Hall warships, providing “greater flexibility and maritime capability” to the Fifth Fleet, the Bahrain-based command said.

USS Bataan is an amphibious assault ship which can carry fixed-wing and rotary aircraft as well as landing craft. The USS Carter Hall, a dock landing ship, transports marines and their gear, and lands them ashore.

The latest deployment comes after Washington said its forces blocked two attempts by Iran to seize commercial tankers in international waters off Oman on July 5.

The US announced last month that it would deploy a ­destroyer, F-35 and F-16 warplanes, along with the Amphibious Readiness Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit, to the Middle East to deter Iran from seizing ships in the Gulf.

Last week, a US official said that Washington was also preparing to put marines and navy personnel aboard commercial tankers transiting the Gulf as an added layer of defence.

AFP