America’s ‘maritime grip’ in Hormuz: 3 ships heading towards Iran stopped, Marine Commander takes command

The tension on the world’s most strategically sensitive sea route ‘Strait of Hormuz’ has once again reached its peak. In the Persian Gulf, the US Navy has demonstrated its power and stopped three cargo ships heading towards Iran midway. During this shocking action, a squad of American Marine Commandos landed directly on a ship, which created a stir in the area. The move is being seen as a major military message amid rising geopolitical tensions between Iran and the US. What is ‘Operation Screws’? According to US Central Command (CENTCOM) sources, this action has been taken to maintain international maritime security and keep an eye on possible activities by Iran. According to the report, American warships surrounded and searched three ships heading towards Iran. During this time, pictures of American Marine commandos landing on a ship have surfaced, in which they are seen fully armed. The US Navy claims that these ships could have been involved in suspicious activities, due to which this strict step had to be taken. Why is the Strait of Hormuz so important? The Strait of Hormuz is considered the lifeline of the world’s oil trade. A large part of the global oil supply passes through this narrow path. Over the past few months, Iran has attempted to seize or harass several foreign oil tankers in the region, in response to which the US has increased its deployment in the region manifold. Now America has made it clear that it is committed to keeping this sea corridor free from any kind of interference through its military presence. Iran’s reaction and future situation There has been no official reaction from Tehran yet after this incident, but experts are seeing it as a sign of a major military conflict. Iran has already described America’s ‘show of power’ as a violation of its maritime sovereignty. On the other hand, due to this move of America, the possibility of fluctuations in global crude oil prices has increased. In the coming days, this ‘cat-mouse’ game between America and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz can become a big challenge for international diplomacy.