The US Navy used it for the first time Wednesday an unmanned vessel in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a crucial area for carrying cargo for the energy industry and where US sailors often have tense encounters with Iranian forces.
the journey of L3 Harris Arabian Fox MAST-13a 13-metre (41 ft) boat with sensors and cameras, it attracted the attention of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard but it was completed without incident, said Commodore Timothy Hawkins, a spokesman for the US Navy.
Two Coast Guard vessels, USCGC Charles Moulthrope and USCGC John Scheuerman, accompanied the water drone.
The three vessels safely passed through the strait, a busy area between Iran and Oman measures 33 kilometers at its smallest point. A fifth of the oil sold in the world passes through here connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
“The Iranians observed the unmanned surface vessel pass through the strait in accordance with international law,” Hawkins told the Associated Press. An Iranian drone and at least one Houdong-class fast attack vessel operated by the Revolutionary Guard, an Iranian paramilitary force, they watched the drone TREE-13.
The restless gaze of Iran
The US 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain, patrols the waters of the Middle Eastespecially the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, to hold them waters open to international trade and protect US interests and allies. However, Iran perceives the presence of the Navy as an affront and compares it to his forces patrolling the Gulf of Mexico.
Iranian state media did not mention the shipment of the drone ship. The Iranian delegation to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
One hundred water drones
The 5th Fleet formed a special drone division last year that aims to have a fleet of about 100 unmanned vehiclesboth submersible and surface, operating in the region with US allies.
In late August and early September, Iran briefly captured many of the drones being tested in the area, although no similar incidents have occurred since then.
TREE-13 now operates in the Gulf of Omanwhere it happened a secret sea war with tankers detained by Iranian forces and suspicious explosions on vessels in the area, some of them linked to Israeli and Western companies. Iran has denied involvement in the explosions, despite Western evidence to the contrary.
TREE-13 can transmit video images ashore and to vessels in the area to help sailors see vessels before approaching, Hawkins said.
They could prove useful, especially as the Navy and its Western allies have increasingly seized weapons in the area believed to be from Iran. headed for Yemen.
“Put more eyes in the waterit allows us to better follow what is happening,” Hawkins said.
Associated press
ap
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.