(ANKARA) - It was claimed that the USA deployed a total of 19 warships to the region in order to re-enforce the naval blockade against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. According to a report by the US-based Washington Post (WP) based on a US official, most of the warships were deployed in the north of the Arabian Sea. The fleet includes USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George H.W. In addition to the aircraft carriers, Bush has 13 destroyers, an amphibious assault ship, a cruiser and two landing ships.
The US official said that especially the high number of destroyers gives the US Navy the capacity to implement the naval blockade against Iran and maintain a strong military presence in the region. Due to the US Navy's policy of not disclosing the locations where nuclear submarines are deployed, no details about these elements were given in the news.
According to the news, the US naval blockade against Iran will come into effect again tomorrow.
According to WP, during the previous blockade, the US Navy stopped or forced more than 140 merchant ships to turn back, while nine ships that did not comply with orders were taken out of navigation by firing into their engine rooms.
In his statement yesterday, Trump said that the United States would re-impose the blockade on Iranian maritime traffic in the Persian Gulf and that "fees would be charged" to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. The US President also warned that Iran would be hit "very strongly" again as missile and drone attacks continued between the two sides.