An official has confirmed that the USA is readying plans to place armed US Marines and navy sailors aboard commercial ships in the Middle East to deter Iran from seizing ships. The plan could be executed as soon as this month.
This is considered as an "elevated response" to the consistent harassments.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...ship-seizures/
U.S. moves to put Marines on commercial ships to stop Iranian seizures
The plan, if approved, would represent a remarkable escalation in the long-running feud between Washington and Tehran that could put their militaries in direct confrontation