2019–2021 Persian Gulf Crisis: Military tensions between Iran and the United States of America

2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis
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
Date 5 May 2019 – 20 January 2021 Location Western Indian Ocean Persian Gulf Gulf of Oman Strait of Hormuz Arabian Sea Strait of Gibraltar Red Sea Iraq Tehran Status Ongoing Western military presence in Persian Gulf increased; formation of the American-led International Maritime Security Construct Additional sanctions on Iran imposed Assassination of the Iranian general Qasem Soleimani Iranian withdrawal from the nuclear deal
Belligerents
United States CJTF–OIR IMSC:  United Kingdom  Saudi Arabia  Australia  United Arab Emirates  Bahrain  Albania  Kuwait  Qatar  Brunei Darussalam  Greece  Ireland  Thailand  Turkey Supported by:  Japan  Israel  Egypt	Iran Popular Mobilization Forces Kata'ib Hezbollah League of Revolutionaries Supported by: Houthis
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
United States 50,000 troops 12 F-22 Raptors 4 B52 bombers 1 carrier strike group 10 Coastal Patrol Craft 6 Patrol Boats 4 Minesweepers 1 amphibious ready group United Kingdom 1,200 troops 9 Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 6 F-35 Lightning 2 Type 23 frigate 1 Type 45 destroyer 1 Astute class submarine 4 minehunters 1 landing ship 1 fast fleet tanker Australia 200 personnel 1 frigate 1 P-8A Poseidon Japan 1 destroyer 2 patrol planes	Iran: NEDSA fast attack craft 1 Mil Mi-17 1 3rd Khordad 1 Tor M1 6-10 Fateh-110/Fateh-313 missiles 5 Qiam 1 missiles
Casualties and losses
United States: 3 civilian contractors killed 1 sailor dead (non-combat) 4 soldiers killed 114 soldiers injured 1 Black Hawk helicopter destroyed 1 RQ-4A Global Hawk surveillance drone downed 1 MQ-9 Reaper drone downed United Kingdom: 1 soldier killed Saudi Arabia: Oil facilities damaged	Iran: 5 IRGC members killed 1-2 drones downed (U.S. claim, denied by Iran) Pro-Iran Iraqi militia 5 Popular Mobilization Forces members killed 25 Kata'ib Hezbollah members killed 60+ injured
Tankers and ships Saudi Arabia: 2 tankers damaged (responsibility disputed) Japan: 1 merchant ship damaged (responsibility disputed) United Arab Emirates: 1 merchant ship damaged (responsibility disputed) Iran: 1 tanker damaged (responsibility disputed) 1 Iraqi tanker seized United Kingdom: 1 tanker captured by Iran, later released 2 merchant ships damaged  Philippines: 1 small vessel seized, 7 crew members captured Neutral military personnel  Iraq: 5 Iraqi security forces personnel killed 13 Iraqi security forces personnel injured PS752 shootdown Total: 1 civilian aircraft shot down, 176 civilians killed  Iran 82  Canada 63  Ukraine 11  Sweden 10  Afghanistan 7  United Kingdom 3 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.

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