JERUSALEM, Israel – CENTCOM says U.S. Navy destroyers intercepted Iranian attacks on three American warships in the Strait of Hormuz Thursday night, another sign of how volatile this region remains even with a ceasefire in place.
According to U.S. officials, Iran targeted the ships with missiles, drones, and fast attack boats. CENTCOM says U.S. forces responded in self-defense and does not seek escalation.
President Trump brushed off the incident, emphasizing the speed and strength of the U.S. response. “We had three world-class destroyers go through the strait (of Hormuz) today. Any other country, under the circumstances, wouldn’t have done, shot missiles at it and drones at it, and these stupid boats that came at it. They got blown away in about two minutes,” he said.
The president insists the ceasefire is still holding. “They trifled with us today. We blew them away. They trifled. I call that a trifle. I’ll let you know when there’s no cease… you won’t have to know. If there’s no ceasefire, you’re not going to have to know. You’re just going to look at one big glow coming out of Iran. And they better sign their agreement fast.”
President Trump also says a deal with the Islamic Republic could be close. “The talks are going very well, but they have to understand if it doesn’t get signed, they’re going to have a lot of pain. They’re going to have a lot a pain. They want to sign it, I will tell you. They want sign it a lot more than I do.”
At the same time, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have restored U.S. access to bases and airspace, allowing Washington to resume “Project Freedom,” escorting ships through the Strait and countering Iran’s threats to global shipping lanes.
A report by The Washington Post, citing CIA assessments, says Iran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for three to four months. Still, another estimate says the pressure is already inflicting “real, compounding damage … and accelerating systemic economic collapse.”
Here in Israel, many are concerned that a deal with the current Iranian regime may delay but not dismantle Tehran’s nuclear threat, continue its support for regional proxies, allow the regime to recover economically, and leave in power leaders still committed to the destruction of both the United States, which Iran calls the “Great Satan,” and Israel, the “Little Satan.”
