The US says that the alleged threat from Iran has receded in the wake of attacks on four tankers off the port of Fujairah.
“We’ve put on hold the potential for attacks on Americans,” acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told reporters in Washington on Tuesday.
“There haven't been any attacks on Americans. I would consider that a goal. That doesn’t mean that the threats that we had previously identified have gone away.”
Shanahan comments come after the US bolstered in presence in the Persian Gulf with the addition of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and B-52 bombers in Qatar.
“Our prudent response, I think, has given Iranians time to recalculate,” he added.
“I think our response was a measure of our will and our resolve, that we'll protect our people and our interests in the region.”
Last week UK security consultant Dryad Maritime said tanker owners were unlikely to be the victims of a wider campaign of terror in the Arabian Gulf.
“It is assessed that the operators of commercial vessels in the region should not be dissuaded by increasingly bellicose media reports which do not contextualise the threat present,” it said.
“It is certainly true that key ‘pinch points’ such as the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, remain vulnerable to kinetic activity.
“It is also true that isolated incidents, such as those seen at Fujairah, will continue to play a role in the threat dynamics of the region, but are likely to be less frequent and with little focus on wider commercial vessels and infrastructure.”
It added that commercial sea lanes within the region remain open, and it has assessed that operations will “remain within acceptable risk profiles” for most operators with the addition of precautionary measures and increased reporting where required.
HJowever, on Monday t he London insurance market’s Joint War Committee (JWC) extended the high-risk area for shipping in the wake of the Fujairah tanker attacks.
The body said the list now includes Oman, the United Arab Emirates and the Persian Gulf west of longitude 58°E.
“The enmity between Iran and Saudi Arabia continues to create tensions as the Saudis believe Iran is trying to control strategic waterways,” JWC added.
“The recent tightening of Iranian sanctions by the US administration will raise tension in Iran and cause difficulties for Asian buyers.”
Separately, it emerged that the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Soreide on Tuesday.
They are said to have discussed the 12 May attack on the Norwegian-flagged Andrea Victory tanker in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.
“The Secretary expressed gratitude that there were no casualties and no environmental damage from the attack,” said spokesperson Morgan Ortagus.
“He also conveyed to the Foreign Minister his concern about the threat to international shipping from this attack.”
