Time is ticking for Iran, as President Donald Trump says he won’t be rushed into giving a timeline regarding the conflict and ceasefire with Iran.
Pessure appears to be mounting for the fractured Iranian government though as Trump said Thursday that he is ordering the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill any boat” used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The president noted many of the boats being used by the IRGC are smaller, fast-attack-type boats, claiming the Iranian Navy’s 159-ship fleet is “at the bottom of the sea.”
He warned the remaining boats may be used to place mines around the Strait of Hormuz, as the U.S. is currently engaging in mine sweeping operations to clear the waterway.
The order comes after Iran seized two cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz, testing the fragile ceasefire with the U.S.
Iran claims the ships “operated without required authorization,” adding that the ships were “endangering maritime safety.” In addition to the two ships seized, Iran has been accused of firing on a third ship in the strait.
Trump appears to be capitalizing on the fractured Iranian regime as he is waiting for a unified peace proposal from the Islamic Republic. The president believes the nearly two-week-old naval blockade on Iran is choking the regime economically, arguing Iran is losing $500 million a day by not being able to sell its oil.
The president claims that time is not on the side of Iran, adding that a “deal will only be made when it’s appropriate and good for the United States of America, our allies and, in fact, the rest of the world.”
During an event in the Oval Office Thursday afternoon, the president indicated he was waiting on Iran to come up with a deal, though he is open to further military action.
“I took it out militarily. Now all we’re doing is sitting back and seeing what deal and if they don’t want to make a deal, then I’ll finish it up militarily with the other 25% of the targets,” the president told reporters.
U.S. forces have intercepted 33 ships since the Naval blockade began nearly two weeks ago.
