I don't know how true this article is, but true or not, it reminds me of what happened when the marines went to 'the halls of Tripoli'.
Pirates and slave raiders based on the Mediterranean shore of Africa were attacking and raiding ships from European countries, and also the newly created USA. This included enslaving Europeans they captured.
This is from memory so it's simplified and maybe a bit off in the details (Any one interested can check themselves), but the richer countries, like Great Britain, bought them off, but the USA couldn't afford that so went after them, sending in the marines, and secured a treaty so that they would leave Americans alone.
Now, once again, it seems, the USA has threatened force to end harassment by another country, though less formally this time.