NAVCENT: Disruption of Hormuz Shipping ‘Will Not Be Tolerated’

Posted Dec 28, 2011 by Howard Altman

Updated Dec 28, 2011 at 07:16 PM

Earlier this morning, I wrote about a conversation I had months ago with Centcom Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Karl Horst that included preventing Iran from drawing a “line in the water” by blocking the Straight of Hormuz.

The conversation took place well before the current situation, with Iranian naval maneuvers in the Straight and threats by Tehran they would stop shipping if there are increasing sanctions over that nation’s nuclear efforts.

Wanting to know where the command stood on the current situation, I reached out to Navy Central Command in Bahrain, which oversees the Fifth Fleet, which would be the fleet to respond to any crisis in the SOH.

I received a response this morning from Navy Lt. Rebecca Rebarich, but because of a couple of other stories I’ve been working on today, am only just posting it now.

Q) How will the Fifth Fleet respond if Iran stops shipping in the SOH?

A) The free flow of goods and services through the Strait of Hormuz is vital to regional and global prosperity.  Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be tolerated.

The U.S. Navy is a flexible, multi-capable force committed to regional security and stability, always ready to counter malevolent actions to ensure freedom of navigation.

Q) Can the Fifth Fleet keep the SOH open and is it its mandate to respond?

A) U.S. 5th Fleet is committed to protecting maritime freedoms that are the basis for global prosperity - this is one of the main reasons our military forces operate in the region.

The U.S. Navy, along with our coalition and regional partners, operates under international maritime conventions to maintain a constant state of high vigilance in order to ensure the continued, safe flow of maritime traffic in waterways critical to global commerce.

Q) How much flexibility does the Fleet command have to engage?

A) Request you contact U.S. Central Command Public Affairs regarding this question.

Q) What role will NAVCENT and Centcom play in the decision-making process?

A) Request you contact U.S. Central Command Public Affairs regarding this question.

Centcom officials could not comment.