UAE withdraws from US-led maritime coalition. The UAE has announced its withdrawal from a US-led naval coalition entrusted with securing sensitive Gulf waterways critical to global oil commerce.
The UAE “withdrew its participation” in the 38-nation Combined Maritime Forces two months ago, according to a foreign ministry statement, without explaining why.
“As a result of our ongoing evaluation of effective security cooperation with all partners, two months ago, the UAE withdrew its participation in the Combined Maritime Forces,” said the statement carried by the official WAM news agency.
The Bahrain-headquartered CMF was established in 2001, initially as a partnership between 12 nations. It is active in crucial but troubled Gulf waters where tankers have been seized and attacked in recent months.
As UAE withdraws from the US-led maritime coalition, a spokesperson for the Combined Maritime Forces said the UAE remains a partner nation, despite putting its participation on hold.
“The CMF still includes 38 partner nations, of which the UAE is one,” Commander Timothy Hawkins said.
In late April and early May, Iran captured two tankers in a week, including one empty ship going between the UAE ports of Dubai and Fujairah.
Iran was also accused of carrying out a drone strike on an Israeli-owned tanker in November 2022, escalating tensions with the US.
Earlier this month, the US said that it was sending reinforcements to the Gulf, which transports at least a third of the world’s sea-borne oil, in response to what it called Iran’s increased harassment.
The commander of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Vice-Admiral Brad Cooper, later transited through the Strait of Hormuz in a guided-missile destroyer along with British and French naval commanders.
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