Two U.S. warships "vanished" from the Middle East; Now they have been found PHOTO

Until recently, both ships had been deployed in the Middle East, in Bahrain, where they arrived last year to replace the fleet of now-retired Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships.

Their sudden appearance thousands of kilometers away comes at a time when Iranian attacks on commercial vessels have practically halted maritime traffic through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

However, it is unclear to what extent Iran has already laid mines in the strait, but the threat remains a key concern for the future security of the waterway and will have to be taken into account in any attempt to reopen it, The War Zone writes.

The USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara are among the select Independence-class ships equipped for mine countermeasure missions.

In their current configuration, this package includes mine-hunting sonar, unmanned surface vehicles (CUSVs) equipped for mine clearance, and mine detection and neutralization systems carried by MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters stationed on the ships.

No official explanation

When asked why the ships appeared in Malaysia, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) referred journalists to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, which in turn redirected them back to CENTCOM.

CENTCOM is the military command responsible for operations in the Middle East, while the Fifth Fleet is the naval component in charge of the region, headquartered in Manama, Bahrain.

Relocation amid the crisis

U.S. military photos show that the USS Tulsa remained in port in Bahrain at least until February 9, while the USS Santa Barbara operated in the Persian Gulf until January 30.

The current location of a third ship of the same class, the USS Canberra, which was also in the Middle East, is unknown.

It is also unclear whether other mine countermeasure ships are en route to the region.