Hormuz escort

Merchant ships have been escorted through the Strait of Hormuz in Operation Sentinel since early November, despite the UK reducing the perceived level of risk. The UK government said: “UK-flagged ships will soon be able to transit the Strait of Hormuz without close Royal Naval accompaniment, following a decrease in the specific risk of detention of these vessels”. Meanwhile, US Central Command said that the Bahrain-headquartered coalition would ensure “freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce in international waters” throughout the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Oman. Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Australia, the UK and Albania have joined the US in Operation Sentinel.