President said on Thursday three US Navy destroyers transited out of the Strait of Hormuz under fire, adding that the American destroyers were not damaged but “great damage was done to Iranian attackers.”
“Three World Class American Destroyers just transited, very successfully, out of the Strait of Hormuz, under fire. There was no damage done to the three Destroyers, but great damage done to the Iranian attackers,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“They were completely destroyed along with numerous small boats,” he said.
He also claimed that a normal country would have allowed these destroyers to pass, but Iran is not a normal country. They are led by LUNATICS, and if they had the chance to use a Nuclear Weapon, they would do it, without question.
“But they’ll never have that opportunity and, just like we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!”
The three destroyers will now rejoin the Naval Blockade.
US-Iran exchange fire
Earlier, the United States and exchanged fire on Thursday in the most serious flare-up since their month-long ceasefire began, though both sides later signalled a desire to avoid further escalation.
Iran’s military said the US targeted 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 ceasefire remained intact, brushing aside the exchange as “just a love tap,” according to the reporter’s post on social media. Iranian state media later reported that calm had been restored and the situation had returned to normal.
The renewed hostilities broke out as Washington was awaiting Iran’s response to a U.S. proposal that would stop the fighting but leave the most contentious issues, such as Iran’s nuclear program, unresolved for now.
The two sides have occasionally exchanged gunfire since the ceasefire took effect on April 7.
Iran’s top joint military command accused the U.S. of violating the ceasefire by targeting an Iranian oil tanker and another ship, and of carrying out air attacks on civilian areas on Qeshm Island in the strait and 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.
A spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the strikes inflicted “significant damage,” but U.S. Central Command said none of its assets were hit.
, meanwhile, said Iran had used missiles, drones and small boats in the attack, which targeted three Navy destroyers. The U.S. said it targeted missile and drone sites and other locations in response.
“CENTCOM does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces,” the statement added.
Iran’s Press TV later reported that following several hours of fire “the situation on Iranian islands and coastal cities by the Strait of Hormuz is back to normal now.”
(With inputs from agencies)
