US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that Iran’s navy had been “completely obliterated,” alleging that 158 vessels were destroyed and now lay “at the bottom of the sea.” Posting on Truth Social, he added that smaller “fast attack ships” were not targeted as they were not considered a major threat.
“Iran’s Navy is lying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated — 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of ‘fast attack ships’, because we did not consider them much of a threat,” he said.
Trump warned that any such vessels approaching a US “blockade” would be “immediately eliminated,” describing the response as “quick and brutal.”
“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 drug dealers on boats at sea. It is quick and brutal,” he added.
He also claimed that 98.2% of drugs entering the United States via sea routes had been intercepted.
Earlier, Iran signalled a sharp escalation, saying it would target ports in and around the Persian Gulf if its own shipping hubs were threatened. According to state-run IRIB News, Iran’s armed forces stated that port security in the region must apply equally — “either for everyone or for no one.”
Tehran further described any US move to block the Strait of Hormuz as “an act of piracy,” while reiterating its intention to retain control over the strategic passage even after the conflict.
The exchange highlights rising tensions over the strait, a critical global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes. Iran’s remarks suggest a possible return to attacks on Gulf ports if Washington proceeds with plans to restrict maritime traffic linked to Iranian hubs.
Such developments could also strain relations between the US and China, a major buyer of Iranian crude.
Disruptions in the strait since the conflict began have already driven up oil and gas prices, making it a central flashpoint in the more than six-week standoff. Although the US-Israeli alliance and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 7, weekend talks failed to produce a long-term resolution.
Following the breakdown of negotiations in Pakistan, Trump announced the blockade and warned that US military action would resume if Iran resisted. “Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be blown to hell!” he said.
Details of the proposed blockade, including its exact location and scale, remain unclear.