US nuclear-equipped submarine enters Strait of Hormuz

Two weeks before the anniversary of the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the US has deployed a Georgian nuclear-powered submarine to the Strait of Hormuz. The purpose of the deployment has been described as a demonstration of America's commitment to its regional partners.

This unusual action in the Strait of Hormuz, which aims to demonstrate American military power, comes after the killing of Iranian nuclear expert Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who Iran has called the United States "among its accomplices in his physical elimination."

The move also comes two weeks after the killing of Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force (the overseas arm of the Revolutionary Guards), in a US drone strike near Baghdad airport. Iran has repeatedly said it will retaliate for the US move.

The US Navy says the Georgian submarine's presence in the region is intended to demonstrate the country's "commitment" to "regional partners and maritime security." The US also said it wanted to demonstrate its readiness to "defend against any threat at any time."

The USS Georgia is armed with 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles and can accommodate 66 special operations forces.

Earlier this month (December), two American bombers entered the region's skies and flew near Iranian airspace in what the United States called a "deterrent message to Iran."

The display of American military power could send a message to Iran that the United States remains committed to the Middle East, even as it seeks to reduce its military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan under President Donald Trump's orders.

The US Navy's Fifth Fleet is responsible for protecting the country's interests in waters spanning two and a half million square miles (six and a half million square kilometers), including the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

Source: DW