US Air Force Commander in the Middle East: We Forced the Islamic Republic to Retreat with 'Displays of Power' in the Strait of Hormuz

The commander of the US Air Force in the Middle East stated on Wednesday to a group of defense writers in Washington that after the Islamic Republic's naval forces targeted ships around the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman several times earlier this year, the 'display of American power' was sufficient to compel the Islamic Republic to retreat. According to Voice of America, General Greenkwich said, 'The decision in July to deploy F-35 and F-16 fighter jets to the Persian Gulf along with a naval destroyer and an amphibious assault group that included 2,500 American Marines created a 'correct echo' among Islamic Republic officials.' He added that this action has deterred the Islamic Republic from any actions against international shipping. According to the report, the Islamic Republic has seized or harassed nearly 20 ships in the region over the past two years. The Islamic Republic claims that these actions are aimed at 'combating fuel smuggling.' However, US officials remain cautious about the durability of this deterrence. They point to the growing network of paramilitary forces and proxies of the Islamic Republic in the region that benefit from the Islamic Republic's financial and military support. Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz; Western naval forces warned commercial ships to stay away from Iranian territorial waters. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: Two more oil tankers were seized in the Persian Gulf; the US: 'The validity of the claim is questionable.' US response to the International Atomic Energy Agency report: We await the official release of the report. The unloading of 'seized Iranian oil cargo' in Texas began despite threats from the IRGC. American F-35 fighter jets are in the region under CENTCOM coverage; the goal: to support the Fifth Fleet. Western naval forces warned commercial ships: stay away from Iranian territorial waters.