How America and its allies are keeping tabs on Iran at sea

FOR ALMOSTIMSCUAE two decades America’s navy and its allies in the Middle East spent most of their time chasing pirates, drug smugglers and terrorists in the region’s busy waters. But a string of attacks on oil tankers in 2019—blamed on Iran—has shifted their focus.In July America launched Operation Sentinel to improve its ability to spot and respond to threats to shipping in and around the Persian Gulf. In November it formally placed the operation under a coalition with the ungainly name of the International Maritime Security Construct (). This now consists of seven countries: America, Australia, Bahrain, Britain, Saudi Arabia, the —and plucky Albania (which can squeeze most of its sailors onto one aeroplane).