By Al-Fassel | 2023-12-20

The latest round of violence in the Middle East has sparked far-reaching security and economic repercussions, and has underscored the key role played by the US military in the region.

Of particular concern is the elevated threat to international commercial shipping in the region's waterways, with Iranian proxies issuing threats and carrying out numerous attacks on cargo and merchant vessels.

The increased instability is already having a knock-on effect on the regional economy, with goods and insurance services commanding higher prices in global markets and major shipping firms rerouting their vessels from the Red Sea.

In these circumstances, the US military presence in the Middle East serves as a deterrent to malign actors who try to exploit crises to serve their own agendas, and reduces regional tensions by ensuring terrorist activities do not expand.

Key regional chokepoints

Of critical concern are three regional chokepoints: Bab al-Mandeb strait, at the southern entrance to the Red Sea; the Strait of Hormuz, at the entrance to the Gulf; and the Suez Canal, which links the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.

Almost all the oil exports of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar and Iran are shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.

About a fifth of the volume of the world's total oil consumption passes through the strait.

An average of 20.5 million barrels per day of oil and oil products passed through it between January and September, data from analytics firm Vortexa showed.

The proximity of the strait to Iranian territorial waters has made it a political pressure card in the hands of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the United States and other nations consider a terrorist organization.

Iran has a long history of harassing ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and has on a number of occasions threatened to "close" the strategic waterway.

The most recent threat was issued in October, by Iranian lawmaker Hassan Norouzi, who said it is "not unlikely that we could close the Strait of Hormuz," if the situation worsens in the Middle East, Iran International reported.

Red Sea security

In recent weeks, the Iran-backed Houthis have been launching a volley of attacks, with drones, missiles and speedboats, in or near Bab al-Mandeb strait.

In 2018, an estimated 6.2 million barrels per day passed through the strait, according to the US Energy Information Administration, destined for Europe and the United States in the West and Asia in the East.

Bab al-Mandeb also is of great importance to Egypt, because approximately 98% of the goods and ships that cross the Suez Canal pass through it.

More than 22,000 ships transited the canal in 2022, per the Statistica website.

Egypt is a member of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a multinational maritime coalition, and has previously served at the helm of its Combined Task Force 153 (CTF 153).

The task force leads international maritime security and capacity building efforts in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb and Gulf of Aden.

Piracy

In addition to threats from the Iran-backed Houthis, Bab al-Mandeb faces security challenges due to the presence of Somali pirates.

The US Navy detained five people believed to be Somali nationals after they boarded the merchant vessel (M/V) Central Park off Yemen, in what was "clearly a piracy related incident," the Pentagon said November 27.

After boarding the ship, the armed assailants attempted to access the cabin, but the crew were able to lock themselves in a safe area, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said.

The assailants fled in a small boat after US guided missile destroyer USS Mason, allied ships and associated aircraft that are part of the CMF's counter-piracy task force (CTF 151), responded and demanded the vessel's release, he said.

Three Chinese naval vessels ignored repeated distress calls from the Central Park after it came under attack, according to the Pentagon.

"Supposedly, those ships are there as part of a counter-piracy mission, but they did not respond," Ryder said.

USS Mason on December 13 responded to a mayday call from the Marshall Islands-flagged motor vessel Ardmore Encounter, which was under attack from Houthi forces in the southern Red Sea.

US security guarantees

Between May and July, Iranian forces harassed and seized at least six merchant vessels in international waters off the coast of Oman.

Following the uptick in Iranian aggression, the US military in May increased the rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling the Strait of Hormuz.

In a joint statement following the June 8 ministerial meeting of the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the ministers underscored the importance of upholding navigational rights and freedoms.

They stressed the importance of collective efforts to address threats to the security of vessels traveling through the region's waterways.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the United States' enduring commitment to the security of the region in the statement, recognizing the region's vital role in the global economy and international trade.

On August 6, more than 3,000 US sailors and Marines arrived in the Middle East as part of a pre-announced Department of Defense deployment.

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike groups are currently deployed to the region as part of US efforts to deter Iran and its proxies.

The Eisenhower group, which includes the destroyers USS Mason and USS Gravely, cruiser Philippine Sea and Carrier Air Wing 3, on November 26 completed a transit of the Strait of Hormuz.

The strike group's presence in the Gulf "demonstrates the United States and its partners' commitment to the free flow of commerce, regional security and freedom of navigation," the US Navy said.