The U.S. Navy says the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier sailed safely through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, the world's most important oil supply hub.
According to the 5th Fleet of the US Navy
based in Bahrain, in the "scheduled" exercise, US ships, carriers and
several other warships were sent’ through the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf.
Dynamic services include 5,000 sailors and marines in America's oldest carrier.
For decades, US aircraft carriers have
sailed the international oil supply route, continuing US-defined
"defense" operations aimed at keeping the strait open.
The show of strength comes after months of
escalating incidents on the main highway, which was hit’ by a US drone strike earlier
this year that killed an Iranian general in Baghdad. Tehran has responded to a
ballistic missile attack that wounded dozens of US troops in Iraq.
The arrival of the Nimes in the Middle
East saw Iran carry out direct fire drills to target makeup aircraft carriers,
threatening a military confrontation between the two countries.
Rear Adam. Its commander, Jim Kirk, said
the Nimitz strike group was "at the height of its preparations."
Nimes, originally from Bremerton,
Washington, has been patrolling the Arabian Sea since late July. He replaced
the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, who spent several months in the Navy, breaking a
previous naval maritime record. Navy officials have banned port calls due to
the corona virus outbreak.
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