 The U.S. and Iran may start a naval war in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. military is preparing to boost its defense posture in the Persian Gulf, with officials claiming that the Pentagon will deploy additional assets to the region to patrol commercial shipping lanes and protect private vessels from Iran. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby announced the move, telling reporters The Defense Department will be making a series of moves to bolster our defensive posture in the Arabian Gulf, using an alternative name for the Persian Gulf. U.S. officials claim that Tehran has attacked or harassed 15 foreign flagged vessels in the region over the last two years, calling the actions destabilizing. In the space of just one week between late April and early May, the Islamic Republic seized two oil tankers registered in Panama and the Marshall Islands, drawing condemnation from the U.S. Navy. Iran's unwarranted irresponsible and unlawful seizure and harassment of merchant vessels must stop. Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, who leads the 5th Fleet Naval Forces, said in a statement, U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, added that it is now working with regional allies and partners to increase the rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling in and around the Strait of Hormuz. While the Pentagon offered few details about what the stepped up military presence would entail, it said U.S. warships will carry out heightened patrols around the Gulf.