U.S. Central Command said the USS George H.W. Bush was transiting the Arabian Sea with more than 60 aircraft on board as U.S. forces enforced a naval blockade against Iran and supported Project Freedom in the Strait of Hormuz.
The command said the aircraft carrier was operating from the Gulf of Oman as American forces enforced the blockade and supported efforts tied to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM also shared an image of a U.S. sailor standing watch aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy during flight operations in the Arabian Sea.
The command said 51 vessels had been directed to turn around or return to port to stop commercial ships from entering or leaving Iran.
CENTCOM said U.S. forces have supported Project Freedom since May 4. The mission is aimed at restoring freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a May 3 statement, CENTCOM said the president directed the mission to support merchant vessels seeking to move through the international trade corridor. The command said a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade, along with significant volumes of fuel and fertilizer products, passes through the strait.
“Our support for this defensive mission is essential to regional security and the global economy as we also maintain the naval blockade,” Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in the statement.
CENTCOM said U.S. military support for Project Freedom includes guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms and 15,000 service members.
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