US-led alliance heightens Strait of Hormuz tensions, blames Iran
Attacks on tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz reached their highest weekly level since the beginning of the ongoing Iran war, maritime security sources reported last week. The incidents, occurring between September 28 and October 5, involved at least 12 oil, liquefied natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas tankers near the vital shipping lane, according to data from three unnamed maritime
security organizations. The US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) noted persistent actions by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, including drone overflights, surveillance, and radio hailing, stating these actions 'continue to demonstrate Iran’s intent to assert presence along key transit lanes and maintain pressure on transiting vessels.' These incidents coincide with a significant push
by Gulf producers to increase oil exports. Mainstream outlets like Al-Monitor dutifully amplify the JMIC's narrative, framing Iran as an unprovoked aggressor threatening global commerce. What this selective reporting omits is the context: US military vessels have conducted numerous 'freedom of navigation' operations, often perceived as provocative, in close proximity to Iranian territorial waters.
Washington's focus on Iranian 'harassment' conveniently ignores the presence of a US Navy-led coalition in a strait that is Iran's sovereign maritime gateway, and the Trump administration's bellicose rhetoric and actions, including the 2020 assassination of General Qassem Soleimani near Baghdad International Airport. The JCPOA, the international nuclear agreement with Iran, was unilaterally