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The clock struck 11:34 local time as the USS Bulkley, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, escorted a convoy of three commercial tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
For six weeks, the Bulkley had provided escort services, ensuring the safe passage of commercial shipping amid escalating tensions in the region.
Insurance companies and shipping firms had demanded protection, and the U.S. Navy was committed to delivering it.