U.S. Confirms Two Gulf-Based Mine Sweepers Arrived in Malaysia

On March 16th local time, the U.S. Navy confirmed that two U.S. warships equipped with mine-clearing capabilities, originally deployed in the Persian Gulf, have traveled approximately 4,000 miles to Malaysia for “logistical stopovers.” The ships are identified as the USS Tulsa and USS Barbara, which were seen docked at the Batu Pahat Container Terminal in Malaysia. A spokesperson from the U.S. Fifth Fleet stated that these ships are conducting short-term logistical resupply in Malaysia and noted that U.S. forces “regularly visit Malaysian ports,” reflecting the long-standing military cooperation between the U.S. and Malaysia. This move comes amid growing concerns that Iran may lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The ships are part of the U.S. Fifth Fleet previously stationed in Bahrain, tasked with responding to tensions with Iran and safeguarding the strait’s shipping lanes. Experts say that these littoral combat ships mainly rely on towed sonar, helicopters, and underwater equipment to perform mine-clearing missions, but their combat capabilities are limited, making them unsuitable for frontline operations in high-intensity combat environments. (CCTV News)