U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday that the U.S. military will "eliminate" any Iranian ships if they come close to the U.S. blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
"Iran's Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated - 158 ships. 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." Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
He also sent an warning that "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" in his post. The U.S. Central Command stated on Sunday that it would impose a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports starting at 10:00 Eastern Time (14:00 GMT) on Monday, in accordance with the president's order.
The statement said the blockade applies to all vessels of all countries entering and leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
The Central Command also stated that vessels traveling to and from non-Iranian ports and passing through the Strait of Hormuz would not be affected.
Israeli media cited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement during Monday's cabinet meeting, saying that the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran might end "within a very short period of time".
Netanyahu also said Israel supports the U.S. naval blockade, adding that the two sides are coordinating fully on the matter. Iran's acting Defense Minister Seyed Majid Ebn Al-Reza stated on Monday that the Iranian armed forces are currently on the highest level of alert and are fully prepared for all possibilities.
Ebn Al-Reza also emphasized that any hostile actions will be met with a strong and decisive response, making the other side pay the price for its aggression.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the ministry said on the same day that Trump will fail in any attempt to interfere militarily in Hormuz and the Sea of Oman.
Trump threatens to strike Iranian ships in Strait of Hormuz
