Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Wednesday said that he will travel to U.S. Central Command headquarters in Florida next week to discuss details of a plan to monitor hostile Iranian activity in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, The Hill reports.
Esper, who was confirmed and sworn in as defense secretary on Tuesday, said that he and Centcom leaders will discuss the U.S.-proposed Operation Sentinel – an effort that would allow the U.S. military to escort American vessels traveling in the region if requested.
“We will escort our ships to the degree the threat requires it,” Esper told reporters at the Pentagon.
He later added that “escort doesn’t mean [Navy warships] are following right behind. But as long as you are in the area and can react quick enough to deter a provocation, that’s the key.”
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