Trump tells Fox News: If Iranians attack U.S. warships, they will be "erased from the face of the Earth"
¬ U.S. military command: Number of vessels blocked from leaving Iranian waters reaches 50
¬ Iranian state media: Iran has neither planned nor ever had plans to attack the UAE
¬ Iran's stance on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz remains unchanged
¬ U.S. Armed Forces have the right to strike if they believe Iranian speedboats pose a threat to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz
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President Trump said in an interview with Fox News that if Iran attacks U.S. warships in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will be "erased from the face of the Earth."
Fox News reporter Trey Yingst posted on social media platform X: "Trump told Fox News that if Iranians attack U.S. warships escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz under the 'Freedom Mission' operation, they will be [erased from the face of the Earth]."
Previously, Iranian government spokesperson Mohammad Mokhber stated in an interview with Sputnik that threats against Iranian civilization are meaningless and will yield no results.
Fars News Agency reported on Monday that two missiles hit a U.S. warship planning to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran announced a ban on U.S. warships transiting the strait. However, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) denied reports on Monday claiming that Iranian forces fired two missiles at U.S. warships in the Strait of Hormuz.
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U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on May 4 that the number of vessels blocked by U.S. forces from breaking through the Iranian port blockade has reached 50.
CENTCOM posted on social media platform X: "As of today, U.S. forces have diverted 50 merchant vessels to ensure the enforcement of the blockade."
President Trump previously announced the launch of the "Freedom Mission" to rescue vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, which began at 10 a.m. Middle Eastern time on May 4. CENTCOM earlier reported that the operation would involve destroyers, aircraft, and 15,000 troops as support.
However, news website Axios cited sources stating: "The new measures in the Strait of Hormuz do not necessarily include U.S. Navy warships escorting commercial vessels."
According to one source, U.S. Navy vessels will remain in close proximity to prevent potential Iranian attacks on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
In addition, Axios sources said the U.S. military will provide commercial ships with information on the safest routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. and Israel began striking targets inside Iran on February 28, resulting in over 3,000 deaths. Washington and Tehran announced a ceasefire on April 8. Subsequent negotiations held in Islamabad ended in failure, with no reports of fighting resuming, but the U.S. began imposing a blockade on Iranian ports.
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Iran’s national broadcaster cited high-ranking Iranian military sources reporting that Iran has never planned nor currently plans to attack the UAE.
The Iranian military source told Iran’s national broadcaster: "Iran has neither planned nor ever had plans to attack the UAE."
Previously, the government of Fujairah, an emirate of the UAE, reported that a fire broke out at an oil facility in Fujairah following a drone attack.
On February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on targets inside Iran, including attacks on Tehran. Iran subsequently carried out retaliatory strikes on Israeli territory and U.S. military targets in the Middle East, leading to a sharp decline in shipping volume through the Strait of Hormuz.
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IRGC spokesperson Hussein Mohseni stated that Iran’s position on vessel passage through the Strait of Hormuz has not changed.
IRNA news agency quoted Mohseni as saying: "There has been no change in the management of the Strait of Hormuz. Any movement of civilian or commercial vessels must follow specific routes and must be coordinated with Iran, in accordance with maritime rules issued by the IRGC Navy."
He reiterated previous statements that Iran can forcibly intercept vessels violating these rules.
On May 4, Iran’s military released a map marking their controlled areas in the Strait of Hormuz and designated routes for ships passing through.
The map was released as President Donald Trump announced the implementation of the "Freedom Mission" to evacuate vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz.
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Axios website cited U.S. officials on May 4 stating that U.S. military forces in the Middle East have been authorized to strike if they believe Iranian speedboats pose a threat to vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Axios report stated: "The rules of engagement for U.S. military operations in the region have changed. They have the authority to strike any target posing a direct threat to vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, such as Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps speedboats or Iranian missile bases."
President Trump announced the launch of the "Freedom Mission" early on May 4, aimed at rescuing vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command stated that under this operation, the U.S. will deploy destroyers, aircraft, and 15,000 soldiers for military support.
On February 28, the U.S. and Israel began striking targets inside Iran, including attacks on Tehran. Iran then carried out retaliatory strikes on Israeli territory and U.S. military targets in the Middle East, resulting in a sharp decline in shipping volume through the Strait of Hormuz.
Source: sputniknews
Original: toutiao.com/article/1864297759371404/
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