American General: Iran's Naval Maneuver Was a Message to Washington

A senior U.S. military commander stated that Iran's naval exercise, which involved over a hundred boats around the Strait of Hormuz, was a message to the United States in response to the resumption of economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic. General Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, told reporters on Wednesday that Iran aimed to showcase its military capabilities following the Iranian president's threat to close the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Associated Press, General Votel remarked, 'It is very clear to us that on the eve of sanctions, they attempted to use this maneuver as a message to us; they have capabilities.' The head of U.S. Central Command emphasized, 'Our message to Iran is that we are aware of what is happening and are prepared to defend ourselves.' He added that Iran has the capability to deploy naval mines and explosive boats in this busy waterway, but the United States and its allies have trained and are prepared to counter such possibilities. This American commander's reference is to the naval exercise conducted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on August 2. While this naval exercise took place in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Sea of Oman, Iranian media did not report its commencement, and it was the American news network CNN that reported the military exercise based on statements from U.S. military officials. However, Iranian media reported the end of the naval exercise citing the spokesperson of the Revolutionary Guards. Ramadan Sharif, the spokesperson and head of the public relations of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, announced on August 5 the conclusion of the naval exercise 'Power,' stating, 'This exercise was held to control and monitor the security of the international waterway and within the framework of the IRGC's annual exercise schedule.' While the IRGC spokesperson claims this maneuver was part of the annual exercise schedule, CNN noted that the timing of this Iranian naval exercise was 'unusual' as the IRGC typically conducts such exercises at different times of the year. Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the IRGC, and previously Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, had implicitly mentioned actions by Iran that could be interpreted as a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz and even the Bab el-Mandeb waterway in the Red Sea prior to the renewed U.S. sanctions. This occurred while Saudi Arabia temporarily halted all oil shipments from the Red Sea following two attacks attributed to Houthi forces allied with Iran on two of its oil tankers in the Bab el-Mandeb waterway. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also stated last week that if Iran closes the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Israel would be part of a 'decisive international coalition' to ensure regional security against Iran with 'all its military arms.'