The US Navy and allied forces are continuing to maintain a presence in and around the Strait of Hormuz to prevent Iran and its proxies from disrupting maritime security and freedom of navigation.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (CSG) on November 26 completed a scheduled transit through the Strait of Hormuz into the Arabian Gulf, the US Navy said in a statement.

The CSG included the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea, guided missile destroyers USS Gravely and USS Stethem, and French Navy destroyer FS Languedoc along with air support from a French navy E-2C Hawkeye and French air force Rafale strike aircraft.

"Our passage through this important strait and continued presence in the area [play] a critical role in maintaining the freedom of navigation that is key to regional security and stability," said the group's commander, Rear Adm. Marc Miguez.

The CSG's transit through the Strait of Hormuz made the Eisenhower the first carrier to operate in the Arabian Gulf since September 2020, the Navy noted.

The Eisenhower CSG is one of two deployed as part of US efforts to deter Iran and its proxy forces in the Middle East from escalating the Israel-Hamas war into a broader regional conflict.

The Strait of Hormuz, located between the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is one of the busiest shipping lanes, with one-fifth of the world's energy supply transiting through the strait annually.

More than 500 ships sail through the Strait of Hormuz in a typical week, a steady flow of maritime traffic crucial to the vitality of the Middle East and the world economy.

The US 5th Fleet's Task Force 55/Destroyer Squadron 50 oversees its surface ships operating in the Middle East, and has long maintained a presence in the strait.

The US Navy in July deployed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner as well as F-35 and F-16 warplanes to deter Iran from seizing ships in the Gulf after the Iranian navy tried to seize two merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman earlier that month.

The Navy's Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit in August also arrived in the Middle East to support deterrence efforts in the Strait of Hormuz and elsewhere.

International effort

The US Navy is not alone in maintaining security in the strait.

The United Kingdom on November 30 announced that it was sending the HMS Diamond, one of its most advanced naval vessels, to the Gulf to shore up its presence in the region.

The Type 45 destroyer will conduct operations to ensure freedom of navigation, reassure merchant vessels and ensure the safe flow of trade, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

"It is critical that the UK bolsters our presence in the region, to keep Britain and our interests safe from a more volatile and contested world," said Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.

The ministry noted that about 50 large merchant ships each day pass through the Bab-el-Mandeb, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, while about 115 major merchant ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

The waters of the Gulf are vital routes for merchant shipping, including for tankers carrying much of the United Kingdom's supply of liquefied natural gas, the ministry said.

Royal Navy vessels have been permanently deployed to the region since 1980 and since 2011 have operated under Operation Kipion, the name used for the UK maritime presence in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

"Today’s deployment will strengthen the Royal Navy's patrols, help to keep critical trade routes open and prove that our commitment to regional security not only endures but enhances," Shapps said.

The HMS Diamond will join the frigate HMS Lancaster, which deployed to the region last year, as well as three mine hunters and a support ship.

The US and Royal navies are also joined in the Strait of Hormuz by two task forces run by Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a 39-nation maritime coalition that works to counter illicit non-state actors and promote security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles (8.3 million square kilometers) of international waters.

Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150), one of CMF's five task forces, handles maritime security operations outside the Arabian Gulf. Its area of responsibility includes the Strait of Hormuz, Bab El Mandeb and the Suez Canal.

Meanwhile, CTF 152 operates inside the Arabian Gulf, where it focuses on illicit non-state actors.