Iranian Revolutionary Guard Boats Harass Ship in Strait of Hormuz, US and UK Navies Respond

The US Navy and UK Royal Navy responded to a ship being "harassed" by three armed Revolutionary Guard vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The incident comes after a series of maritime incidents involving Iran following the US's withdrawal from Tehran's nuclear deal in 2018. Ship-tracking data suggests the vessel involved was the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Venture. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency claimed the Guard vessels responded to a distress signal, but the signal came because armed men were seen aboard the small vessels. The recent seizures have put new pressure on the US, long the security guarantor for Gulf Arab nations.