Exclusive: U.S. Gulf maritime proposal not military coalition against Iran - Pentagon official

FILE PHOTO: A damaged Andrea Victory ship is seen off the Port of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, May 13, 2019. REUTERS/Satish Kumar

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is not aiming to set up a military coalition against Iran with its new security initiative in the Gulf, but simply "shining a flashlight" in the region to deter attacks on commercial ships, a top Pentagon official told Reuters.

Kathryn Wheelbarger, who briefed NATO allies this week on the U.S. proposal, said it was less operational and more geared towards increasing surveillance capabilities.