Small Wars Journal

U.S. Forming New Persian Gulf Plan, Enlisting Other Countries to Keep Watch

Fri, 06/28/2019 - 5:43am

U.S. Forming New Persian Gulf Plan, Enlisting Other Countries to Keep Watch by Michael R. Gordon – Wall Street Journal

An emerging U.S. plan for deterring attacks on tankers that Washington blames on Iran calls for ships from Arab, Asian and other foreign nations to stand watch in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman while maritime patrol planes fly overhead, U.S. officials said.

The operation as envisioned would be commanded not by the U.S., but by a U.S. ally, the officials said. The U.S. military likely would contribute aircraft as well as ships and would organize the communications to tie the multinational force together, they added.

The aim is to dissuade Iran from conducting clandestine attacks by shining a spotlight on the critical sea lanes in the region—not to engage in combat with Iran.

“It’s about proactive deterrence,” a senior State Department official said…

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