Iran conflict: US military mission in Strait of Hormuz already in use

The US-led military mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is already in action, according to the US Department of Defense. In addition to the United States also United Kingdom, Australia and Bahrain are involved in the mission, said Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

The aim was to guarantee free shipping in the important global trade strait between the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. 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. Initially, the minister did not specify how many ships and soldiers were involved in the mission.

Morteza Akhoundi / DPA

The British flagged tanker "Stena Impero" has been set by Iran since July

The conflict between Iran and the US had dramatically worsened the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

The US is also in conversation with several other countries and would assume that more states would join the "Operation Sentinel" (German: Operation Guardian), said Esper. The federal government had rejected a request from Washington to participate in the US mission and instead promoted a separate European Union observer mission.

Iran conflict in the Persian Gulf

The conflict between Iran and several western states has been smoldering for several weeks. The US blames Iran for various attacks on merchant ships in the sea area, leading the Tehran leadership.

In July, Iran had fixed the British-flagged tanker "Stena Impero" in the Strait of Hormuz and has not released it yet. Previously, Britain had planted an Iranian tanker on suspicion of illegally delivering oil to Syria on Gibraltar.

Just last week, the ship was allowed to leave Gibraltar again, although the US had tried to prevent it until the last. For alleged violations of US sanctions, money laundering laws and terrorism statutes, a US federal court had even tried to have the ship seized. However, Gibraltar's government had rejected that.

Behind the tensions between Iran and the US is the nuclear dispute between the two countries. The Americans accuse the Iranian leadership of wanting to build nuclear weapons. Tehran rejects this.