US Increases Naval Presence In Persian Gulf
The U.S. Navy’s oldest transport ship, now converted into a floating base, has arrived in the Persian Gulf, as the United States ratchets up military pressure on Iran.
USS Ponce is now off the coast of Bahrain to reportedly support counter-mine operations in the Persian Gulf.
The ship, which has been in service since 1971, was supposed to be scrapped in 2012 according to The New York Times, but was later transformed to a floating base to be used as a launching pad for helicopters and underwater dive teams and providing fuel for minesweeping ships.
Iran has said that it may block the Strait of Hormuz in response to sanctions on its oil exports.
