You may remember hearing about the 11 Iranian ships that bombarded and harrassed multiple U.S. warships in international waters. The U.S. ships were able to expertly maneuver around the Iranians to avoid a collision. Even though warnings were issued by the U.S. crews, as well as blasts from the ship’s horns, the Iranians ignored them all and persisted. They finally decided they wouldn’t win this fight and turned tail and ran.
On Wednesday President Trump responded to the incident saying he has instructed the U.S. Navy to “shoot down and destroy” any Iranian gunboats that are harassing American ships.
President Trump tweeted this in the wake of the very tense encounter, “I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.”
Fox News reported more on the incident:
The encounter happened last week. Six U.S. Navy warships were conducting drills with US Army Apache attack helicopters in international waters off Iran last Wednesday when they were repeatedly harassed by 11 Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Navy vessels, the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet reported.
The Iranian ships repeatedly crossed in front and behind the U.S. vessels at extremely close range and high speeds, including multiple crossings of one ship, the Puller, with a 50-yard closest point of approach and within 10 yards of another ship, the Maui’s, bow, a 5th Fleet statement said.
The Navy also reported that the USS Paul Hamilton, USS Firebolt, USS Sirocco and USCGC Wrangell, as well as the Puller and Maui, were involved in the exercises.
President Trump let Iran know strait up that despite the amount of attention and resources going toward the coronavirus, their buffoonery has not gone unnoticed.
