Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) gunboats have fired on ships near Oman after Tehran moved to close the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, right after the country agreed to open up the Strait. President Donald Trump has warned Iran that it "can't blackmail us” in the key waterway.
IRGC vessels approached a tanker 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman around 1 pm and opened fire at the ship, according to the New York Post. Two Indian ships were forced back, including a supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil.
Audio of the incident showed that the Indian ship claimed that they had gotten permission to pass through the strait before being fired upon. The attacks occurred amid confusion over the waterway's status, with Iran claiming it reopened Friday while threatening closure due to a US naval blockade.
Trump announced the blockade earlier this week, and said at the time, “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.”
The US blockade, launched after failed diplomacy, has increased tensions between the US and Iran’s forces. The Iranian regime’s military forces said on Saturday that "control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces."
Trump slammed Iran's leadership for the move in talks with reporters: "They wanted to close up the strait again, as they've been doing for years," Trump said. "They can't blackmail us."
Trump added, “We have very good conversations going on. It’s working out very well,” he said. “They got a little cute, as they have been doing for 47 years. Nobody ever took them on — we took them on.”
IRGC vessels approached a tanker 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman around 1 pm and opened fire at the ship, according to the New York Post. Two Indian ships were forced back, including a supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil.
Audio of the incident showed that the Indian ship claimed that they had gotten permission to pass through the strait before being fired upon. The attacks occurred amid confusion over the waterway's status, with Iran claiming it reopened Friday while threatening closure due to a US naval blockade.
Trump announced the blockade earlier this week, and said at the time, “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.”
The US blockade, launched after failed diplomacy, has increased tensions between the US and Iran’s forces. The Iranian regime’s military forces said on Saturday that "control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces."
Trump slammed Iran's leadership for the move in talks with reporters: "They wanted to close up the strait again, as they've been doing for years," Trump said. "They can't blackmail us."
Trump added, “We have very good conversations going on. It’s working out very well,” he said. “They got a little cute, as they have been doing for 47 years. Nobody ever took them on — we took them on.”
