The US has pledged to send warplanes to the Gulf to protect ships against Iran

US defense officials have decided to deploy additional warplanes around the Strait of Hormuz – a strategic waterway through which 40% of the world’s oil passes – to boost shipping security there, according to the television network. Al Jazeera. The move comes after Iran’s navy attempted to seize two oil tankers in a week and will send F-16 fighter jets to reinforce patrols in the region.

A US defense official told the agency Associated Press (AP) The fighters will be sent to the Gulf this weekend to reinforce patrols already carried out by A-10 attack aircraft. The aircraft will provide air cover for ships moving through the strait and will help increase US military presence in the region.

The move raises tensions in the region as Tehran tightens its military partnership with Moscow.

The U.S. is also considering other military strategies to counter the escalating Russian airstrikes over Syria. The White House says Russian warplanes have flown dangerously close to several Syrian drones. American MQ-9 Reapers had to take evasive action. Yet the U.S. will not give up its territory and will continue to fly over western Syria, according to a U.S. defense official.

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