The US-led military mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is already well underway, according to the Department of Defense. In addition to the US military are also involved forces from Britain, Australia and Bahrain, said Defense Secretary Mark Esper yesterday.
The US is also in discussions with several other countries and expected that more states would join the „Operation Sentinel“, said Esper. The latest developments in the Iran crisis are also being discussed at a Foreign Ministers meeting in Helsinki today.
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Esper said that the goal is to guarantee free shipping in the strait that is important for global trade. In addition, it was about „to prevent provocation and to avoid a conflict in the region,“ said Esper. The US did not want a conflict with Iran, the minister stressed. The minister did not specify how many ships and soldiers are involved in the mission. Great Britain had sent two warships.
The conflict between Iran and the US had dramatically worsened the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. However, many EU states do not want to join the US security mission because they fear it could cause further tensions with Iran.
