US Navy says it prevented Iran from seizing tankers in Gulf

DUBAI — The US Navy mentioned it intervened to forestall Iran from seizing two industrial tankers within the Gulf on Wednesday within the newest in a collection of seizures or assaults on ships within the space since 2019.

Chevron mentioned one incident concerned the Richmond Voyager, a really massive crude provider managed by the US oil firm, and that crew onboard have been protected.

An Iranian navy vessel fired photographs in the course of the second seizure try, Navy Fifth Fleet spokesperson Timothy Hawkins mentioned.

Both incidents occurred within the Gulf in waters between Iran and Oman.

Hawkins didn’t say how the US Navy prevented their seizure. Details concerning the second vessel concerned within the incident weren’t instantly clear.

Since 2019, there have been a collection of assaults on delivery within the strategic Gulf waters at instances of pressure between the United States and Iran.

Iran seized two oil tankers in per week simply over a month in the past, the US Navy mentioned.

About a fifth of the world’s provide of crude oil and oil merchandise passes by means of the Strait of Hormuz, a choke level between Iran and Oman, in accordance with knowledge from analytics agency Vortexa.

Refinitiv ship monitoring knowledge reveals the Richmond Voyager beforehand docked in Ras Tannoura in japanese Saudi Arabia earlier than Wednesday’s incident within the Gulf.

A Chevon spokesperson mentioned “there is no loss of life, injury, or loss of containment” aboard the Richmond Voyager.

“The vessel is operating normally. The safety of our crew is our top priority,” the spokesperson mentioned in an announcement. — Reuters

Source: www.gmanetwork.com