FILE PHOTO: A British Royal Navy patrol vessel guards the oil supertanker Grace 1, that’s on suspicion of carrying Iranian crude oil to Syria, as it sits anchored in waters of the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, historically claimed by Spain, July 4, 2019. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
July 18, 2019
RIYADH (Reuters) – U.S. Central Command chief General Kenneth McKenzie said on Thursday it was talking to other countries about freedom of navigation in the Gulf and will work “aggressively” to find a solution to enable free passage.
McKenzie was taking to reporters in Riyadh in a joint news conference with General Prince Fahd bin Turki, commander of the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen.
Asked if Saudi Arabia will have a role in a proposed international maritime security coalition, Prince Fahd said the kingdom has been escorting ships in the Red Sea.
“We are practicing this at Bab al-Mandeb Strait,” he added.
(Reporting By Marwa Rashad, writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi)