US Navy Mideast chief says Iran has ‘attention of everyone’
By JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian attacks in the waterways of the Middle East and elsewhere in the region “have the attention of everyone” as tensions rise over Tehran’s advancing nuclear program. That’s according to the head of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, Vice Adm. Brad Cooper. He also told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he’s seen a rise in what he described as Iran’s “malign activities” in the region over his two years leading the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet. Cooper pointed to recent seizures of weapons by American and allied forces in the region as a success, and acknowledged that Iran has been able to carry out drone attacks targeting shipping in the Mideast and other assaults in the region.
