Washington DC: In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Gulf, Donald Trump has warned Iran it would be “blown off the face of the earth” if it targeted US vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz, where hundreds of ships remain stranded in a worsening maritime standoff.
The sharp warning came as Washington launched a major naval operation on Monday aimed at assisting more than 800 vessels and approximately 20,000 crew members trapped in the vital energy corridor.
The strait, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply typically flows, has become the center of a renewed geopolitical crisis after Iran sought to reinforce its blockade and assert control over the route.
According to the US military, forces engaged Iranian units during the operation, destroying six small boats and intercepting incoming cruise missiles and drones. Tehran, however, denied these claims, further deepening uncertainty around the rapidly evolving situation.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump described the naval mission as “one of the greatest military manoeuvres ever done,” signaling confidence in US capabilities while also suggesting that Iranian officials had been “far more malleable” in recent diplomatic engagements.
Addressing concerns over military readiness, he said, “We have more weapons and ammunition at a much higher grade than we had before. We have the best equipment. We have stuff all over the world. We have these bases all over the world. They’re all stocked up with equipment. We can use all of that stuff, and we will, if we need it.”
The latest remarks echo Trump’s earlier warning in April that a “whole civilisation will die” if Iran failed to comply with US demands regarding the strait—comments that drew significant backlash globally.
Meanwhile, the crisis casts fresh doubt over a fragile ceasefire brokered by Pakistan last month. While it temporarily halted hostilities, it failed to restore access through the Strait of Hormuz, leaving global trade and energy markets under mounting pressure.
