US president Donald Trump has threatened that Iran’s troops will be “blown off the face of the earth” if they attack US vessels trying to reopen a route through the strait of Hormuz.
The US launched an operation on Monday to help hundreds of ships trapped with their crews in the Gulf, dragging the region back to the brink of full-scale war.
Tehran sought to reassert its blockade on the strait, which is a vital waterway in global trade. While the US military claimed to have destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted both Iranian cruise missiles and drones, this was denied by Iran.
Over 800 ships and roughly 20,000 crew members remain stranded in the region.
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As hostilities resumed in the Middle East, the one-month ceasefire appeared as good as over. A US military admiral confirmed to Reuters that Iran had attacked with cruise missiles, drones and small boats, targeting American commercial and military vessels in the Strait of Hormuz area.
According to him, “US Apache and SH-60 Seahawk helicopters destroyed six small Iranian boats that attempted to interfere”. He also said Iranian forces are “strongly advised to stay away from US military assets”.
Trump’s threat to blow Iranian forces “off the face of the earth” was made during an interview with Fox News. He talked up the importance of his so-called “Project Freedom”, which seeks to reopen the strait. He has previously portrayed the operation in a virtuous light.
The US president said he sees two paths forward in his war: either reaching a good-faith deal or resuming military operations. He said the ongoing US naval blockade was “one of the greatest military manoeuvres ever done” and that the Iranians were being “far more malleable” in recent talks than before.
Iran’s army commander in chief, Maj Gen Amir Hatami, warned that any attempt by US aircraft carriers to approach the Strait of Hormuz would be met with force.
Iran also fired projectiles at the United Arab Emirates and Oman after the US military launched Project Freedom to ensure ships could again pass through the strait.
A large fire broke out at Fujairah, a key UAE oil port, after it was hit by a drone attack from Iran, wounding three Indian citizens. The UAE also reported that it intercepted four missiles from Iran. Abu Dhabi said it reserved “the full and legitimate right” to respond to the Iranian attacks.
Earlier on Monday, the UAE condemned what it described as an “Iranian terrorist attack” that targeted a tanker belonging to the Abu Dhabi state oil firm ADNOC that tried to pass through the strait. UAE said it sent multiple emergency alerts to citizens for potential missile threats for the first time during the one-month ceasefire.
US Central Command said two US-flagged merchant vessels passed through the strait on Monday and continued on their route, but Iran claimed the report was a lie.
The Iranian military unveiled a new map of the strategic waterway showing areas under control of Tehran’s armed forces. It did this after instructing the US navy not to approach or enter the strait without coordinating with its military units, warning that “US aggressive actions” would further complicate the situation and endanger vessels in the Gulf.
The US operation came after Trump rejected Pentagon proposals for a resumption of military strikes in an effort to break the diplomatic deadlock. While US navy vessels were not escorting commercial ships through the narrow channel on Monday, warships were in the vicinity and on high alert, ready to respond to any Iranian interference.
US Central Command said it would support Project Freedom with 15,000 military personnel and more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, along with warships and drones. Trump warned that US forces would respond “forcefully” to any Iranian strikes.
It is believed that about 1,000 ships have been trapped in the Gulf since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28th. Iran imposed a blockade on foreign shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and Trump imposed a counter-blockade of ships using Iranian ports on April 13th.
The Pakistani-brokered ceasefire, announced by Trump in early April, stopped hostilities but failed to reopen the shipping channels.
An estimated 20,000 sailors are stuck on vessels in the strategic waterway and concerns for their welfare are growing. Trump said Washington had been approached by countries for help, describing Project Freedom as a humanitarian operation.
Meanwhile, Iran is reviewing a US counterproposal to end the war.
“The US message was received through Pakistan and I will not discuss the details of the issues raised at this time because these issues are still under review,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei told reporters on Monday. “The issues raised about enrichment or nuclear materials are purely speculative and, at this stage, we are not talking about anything other than stopping the war completely.” - Additional reporting by The Guardian
