July 5 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The United States Navy has accused Iran on Wednesday of trying to intercept two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz despite the fact that the ships were transiting “international waters.”
The Fifth Fleet of the United States Navy has indicated in a statement that it “has managed to prevent Iran from intercepting two commercial tankers after responding to a series of distress signals” and has confirmed that the ships continued their route shortly after despite that the Iranian Navy had previously opened fire.
“At 1:00 p.m. (local time), an Iranian ship approached the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker ‘TRF Moss’ in international waters in the Gulf of Oman. The Iranian ship left the area when the destroyer ‘USS McFaul’ of the United States Navy approached”, the Fifth Fleet has indicated, which has indicated that the United States also proceeded to deploy several aircraft.
Thus, he pointed out that several hours later, the Navy “received a distress call from the oil tanker ‘Richmond Voyager’, flagged with the Bahamas, when the ship was about 20 miles off the coast of Muscat, Oman, in transit towards the sea Arabic”.
The US Navy has said that personnel from an Iranian ship opened fire on several occasions, although no casualties or injuries have been reported aboard the tankers.
“I could not be more proud of the entire team, especially the exceptional effort of the ‘McFaul’ crew, who responded immediately and prevented another seizure,” said Vice Admiral Brad Cooper. “We remain vigilant and ready to protect navigation rights in these vitally important waters,” he said.
