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Donald Trump announced that the United States has begun a naval blockade of Iran.
According to a statement posted on Truth Social and reported by the BBC, Trump warned that any Iranian vessels approaching the blockade would be destroyed.
“Warning: if any boats approach our blockade, they will be immediately eliminated using the same system we use against drug traffickers at sea. It is fast and brutal,” the statement said.
Trump also claimed that 98.2% of drugs entering the United States by sea have been intercepted.
In addition, he stated that Iran’s navy has been almost completely destroyed.
“The Iranian navy is lying at the bottom of the sea, completely destroyed—158 vessels. Only a small number of what they call ‘fast attack boats’ remain,” he said.
US ships near the Gulf of Oman
The BBC reported that a US aircraft carrier and two destroyers were spotted near the Gulf of Oman.
Satellite images show that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is located about 200 km off the Iranian coast.
Two additional warships, based on their size and shape, appear to be US Navy guided-missile destroyers. They are believed to be part of the carrier strike group, although their exact identities have not been confirmed.
Trump’s ultimatum
Earlier, on April 11, talks between the United States and Iran on Tehran’s nuclear program took place in Pakistan but failed to produce an agreement.
Following the collapse of negotiations, Trump announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stating that US forces would intercept any vessels that had paid Iran transit fees.
