Trump vows to 'kill' Iranian warships that get near US blockade
The move sets the stage for a showdown as Iran has responded with threats against ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
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The U.S. military announced it will begin a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, tempering U.S. President Donald Trump’s previous vow to entirely block the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as early reports indicated that ships had stopped crossing the waterway.
However, Trump warned on social media that any Iranian warships that come “anywhere close” to the U.S. blockade will be destroyed. It wasn’t clear whether the blockade had started by the designated time of 10 a.m. EDT.
The move sets the stage for a showdown as Iran has responded with threats against ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The war, now in its seventh week, has killed thousands of people and shaken global markets. Ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Iran over the weekend ended without an agreement, raising questions about what happens when the current two-week truce expires on April 22.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military is pushing ahead with its air and ground offensive in southern Lebanon, engaging in fierce fighting with Hezbollah militants over a strategic town while the group also fires rockets and drones at northern Israel.
