WASHINGTON (The Thursday Times) — U.S. President Donald Trump has said that US forces had shot down multiple Iranian “fast boats” targeting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, in what he described as part of a broader effort to secure maritime movement under a US-led operation.
In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said Iran had “taken some shots at unrelated nations” in connection with ship movements linked to what he referred to as “Project Freedom,” including a South Korean cargo vessel.
“We’ve shot down seven small boats or, as they like to call them, ‘fast’ boats,” Trump said, adding that such vessels represented “all they have left.” He also claimed that, aside from the South Korean vessel, there had been no damage to shipping transiting the strait.
The comments come amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, where US and allied forces have increased their presence to safeguard one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of global oil supply passes, has become a focal point of escalating security concerns.
US military officials have separately indicated that American forces are actively engaging threats to civilian shipping, including small vessels believed to be targeting commercial routes. However, official operational details remain limited, and independent verification of specific claims has yet to be fully established.∎
