President Donald Trump said Thursday that three U.S. Navy destroyers had sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz under fire, adding that the U.S. destroyers were not damaged but that “a lot of damage was done to the Iranian attackers.”
“Three world-class US destroyers just passed, very successfully, out of the Strait of Hormuz under fire. No damage to the three destroyers, but great damage to the Iranian attackers,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“They were completely destroyed along with many small boats,” he said.
He also claimed that a normal country would allow these destroyers to pass, but Iran is not a normal country. They are led by LUNATICS, and if they had the option to use a nuclear weapon, they would without question.
“But they’ll never have that chance, and just as we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out much harder and more violently in the future if they don’t get the deal signed FAST!”
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The three destroyers will now rejoin the naval blockade.
Firefight between the US and Iran
Earlier on Thursday, the United States and Iran exchanged fire in the most serious flare-up since the start of their month-long truce, although both sides later signaled a desire to avoid further escalation.
Iran’s military said the US attacked two ships entering the Strait of Hormuz and carried out strikes on Iranian territory. The US military said it fired in response to Iranian attacks.
Trump told an ABC reporter that the truce remained intact, brushing aside the exchange as “just a love tap,” according to the reporter’s social media post. Iranian state media later reported that calm had been restored and the situation had returned to normal.
Renewed hostilities erupted as Washington awaited Iran’s response to a U.S. proposal that would halt the fighting but leave the most contentious issues, such as Iran’s nuclear program, unresolved for now.
Since the ceasefire took effect on April 7, the two sides have occasionally exchanged gunfire.
Iran’s Supreme Joint Military Command accused the US of violating the ceasefire by targeting an Iranian oil tanker and another ship, and of carrying out airstrikes on civilian areas on Qeshm Island in the strait and the nearby coastal areas of Bandar Khamir Sirik on the mainland. The military said it responded by attacking US military vessels east of the Strait of Hormuz and south of the port of Chabahar.
Central Command spokesman Khatam al-Anbiya said the strikes caused “significant damage,” but US Central Command said none of its assets were hit.
Meanwhile, Centcom said Iran used missiles, drones and small boats in the attack, which targeted three navy destroyers. The US said it targeted missile and drone sites and other locations in response.
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“CENTCOM is not seeking escalation, but remains in position and ready to protect US forces,” the statement added.
Iran’s Press TV later reported that after several hours of fire, “the situation in Iran’s islands and coastal cities in the Strait of Hormuz is now returning to normal”.
(With input from agencies)
