2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis

military tensions between Iran and the United States of America

The 2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis, also known as the Iranian–American confrontation[31] and the Crisis in the Gulf,[32][33] is an increase of military tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America in the Persian Gulf region.

2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis
Part of the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict

Clockwise from top: A U.S. B-52H strategic bomber in Qatar in May 2019; A NEDSA boat patrolling near British-flagged tanker Stena Impero; Members of the International Maritime Security Construct in Bahrain; Funeral procession of an Iranian general in Tehran; Alleged remnants of the U.S. Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk drone shot down by Iran; U.S. troops man positions during the attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Date5 May 2019 – 20 January 2021
Location
Result
Belligerents

 United States
CJTF–OIR

 Iran
Popular Mobilization Forces[15][16]

Supported by:
Commanders and leaders
United States Donald Trump
United States Mark Esper
United Kingdom Boris Johnson
United Kingdom Ben Wallace
Saudi Arabia King Salman
Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman
Ali Khamenei
Iran Hassan Rouhani
Iran Amir Hatami
Qasem Soleimani 
Falih Al-Fayyadh
Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis 
Strength
United States United States
United Kingdom United Kingdom
Australia Australia

Japan Japan
  • 1 destroyer
  • 2 patrol planes[19]
Casualties and losses
United States United States:
United Kingdom United Kingdom:
    • 1 soldier killed[27]
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia:
Iran Iran:
Pro-Iran Iraqi militia
Tankers and ships
    • Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia: 2 tankers damaged (responsibility disputed)
    • Japan Japan: 1 merchant ship damaged (responsibility disputed)
    • United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates: 1 merchant ship damaged (responsibility disputed)
    • Iran Iran: 1 tanker damaged (responsibility disputed)
    • Iraq 1 Iraqi tanker seized
    • United Kingdom United Kingdom: 1 tanker captured by Iran, later released
    • Norway 2 merchant ships damaged
    •  Philippines: 1 small vessel seized, 7 crew members captured[30]
Neutral military personnel

Total: 222 killed

The U.S. began a buildup of its military presence in the region to push away a possible planned campaign by Iran and its non-state allies to attack American forces and interests in the Persian Gulf and Iraq.

This followed a rise in political tensions between the two countries during the Trump administration, which included the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), creation of new sanctions against Iran, and the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.

In response, Iran made the United States Central Command as a Terrorist organization.

change

References

change
  1. "Saudi Arabia joins maritime protection mission: state news agency". Reuters. 18 September 2019. Archived from the original on 5 October 2019.
  2. Martin, Sarah; Doherty, Ben (21 August 2019). "Australia to join US military effort to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  3. "UAE joins international maritime security alliance". Al Arabiya. 19 September 2019. Archived from the original on 12 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  4. "Bahrain becomes first Arab nation to support US maritime mission in Gulf". The Week. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  5. "U.S. Central Command welcomes Albania's participation in the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC)". U.S. Central Command. 1 November 2019. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  6. Tanchum, Michael. "Iran Is Already Losing". Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  7. "Kuwait mulls joining Gulf maritime alliance". Gulf News. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  8. "Qatar And Kuwait Join New Naval Task Force In Gulf". Forces Network. 26 November 2019. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  9. "F-22s Deploy to Qatar for the First Time Amid Iran Tensions". Military.com. 28 June 2019. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  10. Iran's Rouhani criticises US military build-up in Gulf Archived 13 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine "Iranian president also lambastes Israel's reported support of the US-led naval mission in the Strait of Hormuz."
  11. "Israel to participate in US 'Operation Sentinel' in Strait of Hormuz". JNS.org. 7 August 2019. Archived from the original on 23 August 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
  12. Hitchens, Theresa (16 August 2019). "Israel Meets With UAE, Declares It's Joining Persian Gulf Coalition". Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  13. "Egypt detains Iran oil tanker, arrests 6 for espionage". Middle East Monitor. 9 July 2019. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  14. "Saudi-Emirati-Egyptian Alliance Steering US Middle East Policy". Archived from the original on 6 July 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  15. Mamouri, Ali (2 July 2019). "Iraq orders militias to fully integrate into state security forces". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 1 December 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  16. Mamouri, Ali (8 July 2019). "Shiite militias react angrily to decree integrating them into Iraqi forces". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  17. Purported new Iraqi Shia group claims attacks on Camp Taji | FDD's Long War Journal
  18. "Yemeni Houthi rebels call for striking U.S. bases in retaliation for killing of Iranian commander - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 2020-01-04. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
  19. "Japan Orders Deployment of Navy Destroyer to Middle East". Bloomberg.com. 10 January 2020. Archived from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  20. "U.S. contractor whose killing in Iraq was cited by Trump was linguist with 2 young sons". NBC News. 8 January 2020.
  21. "Navy Confirms Death of Sailor Overboard on San Diego-Bound USS Lincoln". timesofsandiego.com. 31 July 2019. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  22. "At Least 2 U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq Attack: Officials". Time. 11 March 2020. Archived from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  23. 23.0 23.1 Garland, Chad (28 December 2019). "American defense contractor killed, troops wounded in rocket attack on base in Kirkuk". Stripes.com. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  24. Number of US troops wounded in Iran attack now at 110: Pentagon ABS News, 22 February 2020
  25. LaPorta, James (8 January 2020). "Military aircraft, runway among damage at Iraqi base struck by Iran missiles". Newsweek. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  26. Victor, Daniel; Kirkpatrick, David D. (June 20, 2019). "Iran Shoots Down a U.S. Drone, Escalating Tensions". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
  27. Ensor, Josie (11 March 2020). "British and American soldiers killed in militia rocket attack on base in Iraq". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  28. 28.0 28.1 "Iraq Condemns US Air Strikes as Unacceptable and Dangerous". Asharq AL-awsat. Archived from the original on 2019-12-30. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 Iraqi civilian among six dead in US airstrikes
  30. "Iran seizes Iraqi oil tanker smuggling fuel in Gulf: TV". Reuters. 4 August 2019. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019.
  31. "Arrogance, fanaticism and the prospect of a US-Iranian war". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  32. "Iran, tankers and the Gulf crisis explained". 2019-08-19. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  33. "The attack on Saudi oil facilities raises the risks of war, The attack on Saudi oil facilities raises the risks of war". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 2020-01-09.