Pentagon: Navy Ships End 'Accompanying' Operation in Strait of Hormuz

DrewsPhotos/iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — The Pentagon said Wednesday that a mission under which U.S. Navy ships accompanied U.S. and British-flagged vessels through the Strait of Hormuz had come to an end.

Pentagon spokesperson Col. Steve Warren said that the four Navy ships involved in the mission will return to their normal operations. The accompanying operation officially ended Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET. Warren could not confirm how many ships were accompanied, though one U.S. Defense official said that no British vessels had been escorted.

The ships involved in the mission will be replaced by other vessels, which will remain in the area.

The decision to end the mission was based on the Fifth Fleet commander’s “view of conditions,” and not related to Iranian comments regarding the freeing of a Marshall Islands-flagged ship in the coming days.

The decision to accompany ships came after Iranian vessels seized a Marshall Islands-flagged boat in the area.


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