US naval forces rescue Iranian pirate hostages
It came as Iran announced plans for military exercises in the world’s most important oil shipping lane as new sanctions threaten Tehran’s oil exports. It was the latest move in weeks of militant gestures towards the West,
The rescue operation took place on Thursday, when forces with the USS John C Stennis carrier strike group received a distress call from the master of the Al Molai — an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel — who said he was being held captive by pirates.
