The U.S. Navy began large-scale exercises Tuesday in the Persian Gulf, marking one of its biggest show of force since the days leading up to Operation Iraqi Freedom in early 2003, and putting numerous U.S. ships just miles off the coast of sea property Iran.

The exercises, led by two aircraft carriers, the USS John C. Stennis and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, put the two giant ships and their support ships, called strike groups, within easy striking distance of Iran which makes up the eastern coastline of the Persian Gulf.

The ships begin their staging just days after Iran took several British sailors hostage, claiming they were in Iranian waters.

 
The Navy has long planned putting the Stennis into the gulf after it completed flight operations over Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, according to U.S. Navy officials.

Navy officials said the exercise between the two ships was more of a hasty decision, however.

President Bush ordered an additional carrier to the region to send a message to Iran that the United States could put a show of force in the region quickly as well as giving a security commitment to regional allies.

One worry for counties in the region is Iran choking off the narrow and vital Straight of Hormuz to oil and commercial ships which could send a shock wave through the global economy.

The Navy's exercises will be both in the air and in the sea as air wings from both carriers conduct air warfare exercises and the ships practice anti-submarine, anti-surface and mine warfare exercises, according to a statement from the U.S. Navy.

Another concern by the United States is Iran's meddling in Iraq. The United States has warned Iran to stop providing deadly explosives to Shiia insurgents which are used against both civilians and U.S. military and Iraqi forces inside Iraq.

Navy officials could not say how long the exercises would last.