2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis
The 2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis, also known as the Iranian–American confrontation[31] and the Crisis in the Gulf,[32][33] is an increase of military tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America in the Persian Gulf region.
2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis | |||||||
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Part of the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict | |||||||
Clockwise from top: A U.S. B-52H strategic bomber in Qatar in May 2019; A NEDSA boat patrolling near British-flagged tanker Stena Impero; Members of the International Maritime Security Construct in Bahrain; Funeral procession of an Iranian general in Tehran; Alleged remnants of the U.S. Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk drone shot down by Iran; U.S. troops man positions during the attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States IMSC: | Iran
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Donald Trump Mark Esper Boris Johnson Ben Wallace King Salman Mohammed bin Salman | Ali Khamenei Hassan Rouhani Amir Hatami Qasem Soleimani † Falih Al-Fayyadh Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis † | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
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Casualties and losses | |||||||
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Pro-Iran Iraqi militia
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Tankers and ships
Neutral military personnel
Total: 222 killed |
The U.S. began a buildup of its military presence in the region to push away a possible planned campaign by Iran and its non-state allies to attack American forces and interests in the Persian Gulf and Iraq.
This followed a rise in political tensions between the two countries during the Trump administration, which included the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), creation of new sanctions against Iran, and the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
In response, Iran made the United States Central Command as a Terrorist organization.