The US is sending more warships and troops to the Gulf. The US military’s regional command said the decision was made in response to Iran’s recent efforts to detain merchant ships in the Persian Gulf.

Its purpose is to protect freedom of navigation in the region. The Pentagon did not provide any further information on the purpose of the operation.

The US Department of Defense announced on Monday that it would send several warplanes and a US destroyer to the area. The US accused Iran’s navy of trying to seize two merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the adjacent Gulf of Oman in early July. According to US reports, one ship has been fired upon. Iran has denied it.

There have been repeated incidents involving tankers in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf in the past. The US Department of Defense has told Iran to “immediately cease destabilizing activities”. In particular, the approximately 55-kilometer-wide Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman is considered the most important shipping route for global oil exports.