Trump calls for allied warships after Iran threat to retaliate for US attack
U.S. President Donald Trump urged other nations to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz after Iran threatened broader Middle East escalation following a U.S. bombing of its critical Gulf island energy hub.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called on allied nations including China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom to deploy warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz following escalating tensions with Iran. This appeal came after Iran threatened to disrupt shipping through the critical oil chokepoint in retaliation for U.S. military actions. Trump posted on Truth Social that "many countries, especially those affected by Iran's attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending warships... to keep the strait open and safe," while claiming U.S. forces had destroyed "100 percent" of Iran's military capabilities but warning of ongoing risks from drones, mines, or short-range missiles.
The situation escalated after the U.S. conducted a major combat operation targeting Iran's missile capabilities, naval forces, and proxies. Trump announced the operation to eliminate "imminent threats" from Iran, including its nuclear program and support for attacks on U.S. forces. The U.S. has deployed significant naval assets to the region, including the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike groups, representing the largest regional U.S. military presence since 2003.
Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and security chief Ali Larijani, have responded defiantly to Trump's warnings. Khamenei mocked U.S. warships, claiming Iran has weapons to sink them, while Larijani dismissed Trump's threats as "empty." Iran has threatened to mine the strait or halt oil flows entirely, and has already fired drones at neighboring Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as part of the escalating conflict.
Trump has threatened "military consequences... at a level never seen before" if Iran mines the strait, and vowed to hit Iran "TWENTY TIMES HARDER" for blocking oil flows. He also destroyed reported inactive Iranian mine-laying vessels. The conflict has disrupted global oil trade, with incidents including a U.S. military plane crash in Iraq and drones falling near Dubai's financial district, prompting economic concerns worldwide. The U.S. force in the region could potentially launch 150-250 Tomahawk missiles in a single strike, according to analysts monitoring the situation.
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