US to send warship and additional jets to Middle East

Boost in military presence in response to Iranian activity in Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz

Since 2019, a series of attacks on shipping in Gulf waters have occurred at times of tension between the US and Iran. AP

The US will send a warship and additional F-35 and F-16 fighter jets to the Middle East, the Pentagon said on Monday, in a bid to monitor key waterways following Iran's recent seizure and harassment of commercial shipping vessels.

The Department of Defence “is increasing our presence and ability to monitor the [Strait of Hormuz] and surrounding waters”, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters.

It was not clear where exactly the additional jets would be placed and how long they would stay in the region.

The Associated Press last week reported that the Pentagon was going to send F-16 jets to the region to protect against Iranian activities.

Earlier this month, the US Navy said it had intervened to prevent Iran from seizing two commercial tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

Since 2019, a series of attacks on shipping in Gulf waters have occurred at times of tension between the US and Iran.

About a fifth of the world's crude oil and oil products passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point between Iran and Oman.

With the 2015 Iran nuclear deal effectively dead, Iran's relations with the West have deteriorated over the past year, leading Washington and its allies to look for ways to de-escalate tension and – if that happened – to revive some kind of nuclear limits.

Due to former president Donald Trump's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal and Mr Biden not being able to revive it, Iran could make the fissile material for one bomb in about 12 days if it chose to do so, according to US estimates, down from a year when the accord was in force.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, which the West sees as a threat to Israel and Gulf Arab oil exporters.