MANAMA: A US-led naval coalition officially launched operations in Bahrain Thursday to protect shipping in the Arabian Gulf, after a string of attacks that Washington and its allies blamed on Iran.
The coalition, aimed at warding off the perceived threat to the world鈥檚 oil supply, has been in the making since June.
Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy鈥檚 Fifth Fleet, joined the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) in August. 海角直播 and the UAE followed suit in September.
Australia and Britain are the main Western countries to have agreed to send warships to escort Gulf shipping. The newest member, Albania, joined on Friday.
Vessels will be escorted through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic chokepoint at the head of the Gulf and the main artery for the transport of Middle East oil.
Vice Admiral Jim Malloy, commander of US Naval Forces in the Middle East, said Operation Sentinel is a defensive measure aimed at protecting Gulf waters.
鈥淲hile Sentinel鈥檚 operational design is threat-based, it does not threaten,鈥 he said during a ceremony at the IMSC鈥檚 command center.
鈥淲e 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.
鈥淥ur commitment to the region isn鈥檛 short-lived, it is enduring, and we will operate as part of Sentinel for as long as it鈥檚 needed 鈥 as long as the threat looms.鈥
Most European governments have declined to participate in the naval coalition, fearful of undermining their efforts to save a landmark 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, which was badly weakened by Washington鈥檚 withdrawal last year.
Animosity between Tehran and Washington has soared since President Donald Trump unilaterally abandoned the deal and reimposed crippling US sanctions.
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On May 12, the UAE said four commercial oil tankers 鈥 two Saudi, one Emirati and one Norwegian 鈥 had been targeted by 鈥渁cts of sabotage鈥 in waters off its coast.
Washington and Riyadh blamed Tehran, which denied involvement.
A month later, the Kokuka Courageous was hit and around the same time another tanker in the area, the Norwegian-owned Front Altair, was damaged by three explosions, according to the Norwegian Maritime Authority.
They were transiting through the Strait of Hormuz toward the Indian Ocean.
Then on September 14, drone strikes targeted two key Saudi oil facilities onshore, causing catastrophic damage and temporarily knocking out half of the kingdom鈥檚 oil production.
The attacks were claimed by Yemen鈥檚 Houthi rebels who are battling a Saudi-led coalition, but Washington and Riyadh blamed Iran, saying the strikes were carried out with advanced missiles and drones.
