Home page Army |
The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), a US-led military coalition in the Persian Gulf, has officially launched its operations supposedly seeking to protect shipping lanes near Iranian territorial waters.
Axar.az reports citing PressTV that the US Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain announced that the IMSC, formerly known as Operational Sentinel, had opened its command center in the country on Thursday.
Speaking about the IMSC, commander of the US Naval Forces in the Middle East Vice Admiral Jim Malloy said that its operations will continue "as long as the threat looms," without further elaborating on the supposed "threat."
"We employ capable warships on patrol, but there is no offensive line of effort in this construct, other than a commitment to defend each other if attacked," he said.
The development comes nearly five months after Washington announced that it was seeking to form a "multinational maritime effort" in response to a series of mysterious explosions targeting vessels in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman earlier this year.
The US and Saudi Arabia were quick to blame Iran for the incidents without providing conclusive evidence.
Iran has roundly rejected the accusations, emphasizing its commitment to regional maritime security and its importance in safeguarding international trade.
Date
2019.11.08 / 12:42
|
Author
Axar.az
|