President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he’s getting tough with Iran — the president has given orders for the Navy to “shoot down and destroy” any Iranian gunboats that harass U.S. ships.
A U.S. Navy video last week showed small Iranian fast boats coming close to American warships as they operated in the northern Persian Gulf near Kuwait, with U.S. Army Apache helicopters.
You can see the video here —
The video was the last straw for the president.
I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2020
Trump did not provide further details, and the White House had no immediate comment.
Trump’s tweet came after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it had put the Islamic Republic’s first military satellite into orbit, dramatically unveiling what experts described as a secret space program with a surprise launch Wednesday that came amid wider tensions with the United States.
The launch immediately raised concerns among experts on whether the technology used could help Iran develop intercontinental ballistic missiles.
On Sunday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard acknowledged it had a tense encounter last week with U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf, but allegeded — without evidence — that they weren’t the aggressors.
The Guard routinely antagonizes and harasses American ships in the Persian Gulf and its narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of all oil passes.
The Associated Press contributed to this article