WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump issued a stark warning Monday that Iranian naval vessels attempting to approach the United States’ new maritime blockade would face immediate destruction.
The president’s threat came as the American naval blockade against Iranian shipping was scheduled to begin at 1400 GMT Monday.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump referenced Iran’s naval capabilities following what he described as a six-week military conflict that left Iran’s navy “completely obliterated.” He wrote: “What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, ‘fast attack ships,’ because we did not consider them much of a threat.”
The president’s warning continued with explicit language about potential consequences. “Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea. It is quick and brutal,” Trump wrote.
The president’s reference points to numerous American military operations targeting suspected narcotics vessels in Caribbean and Pacific waters since September, which have resulted in at least 110 deaths according to reports.
The maritime tensions have escalated as Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, blocking a crucial shipping route that typically handles approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas transportation. This action represents Iran’s response to combined U.S.-Israeli military operations.
While Iran’s traditional naval forces have suffered significant damage, military experts note that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps maintains various tactical options. According to retired Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe, these include rapid-attack vessels, small submarines, naval mines, and explosive-laden watercraft including jet skis.
