Trump Claims Total US Control Over Strait of Hormuz
FlatRigor 537 sources
The Story
United States President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that the U.S. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz and will keep it, asserting that the American naval blockade is being called "A WALL OF STEEL." Trump made the claim on his Truth Social platform, reiterating statements he made to reporters on Tuesday. He told reporters at Joint Base Andrews that the U.S. has total control and owns it, adding that Iran does not have control. U.S. forces on Tuesday disabled the steering gear of the Panama-flagged commercial vessel M/V Vela Nova after it attempted to violate the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and ignored repeated warnings. U.S. Central Command stated that a Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles into the vessel's engine room. As of Tuesday, U.S. forces had redirected 55 commercial vessels attempting to violate the blockade, disabled three non-compliant vessels, and boarded two. Trump also stated he does not trust Iran, saying they have lied to me constantly. Iran, however, maintains it effectively controls much of the waterway and intends to impose a toll system in response to the U.S. war launched on February 28. Iran has said it will not allow full traffic in the strait until the U.S. naval blockade is lifted, sanctions are lifted, and its assets are unfrozen. Transit through the strait fell to a one-week low of eight ships on Tuesday, compared to a pre-war rate of 130 to 140 ships daily.
The Spread
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What they agree on
- President Donald Trump claims the United States has total control over the Strait of Hormuz.
- The U.S. has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
- U.S. forces disabled a commercial vessel, the M/V Vela Nova, for attempting to violate the blockade.
- Iran claims it effectively controls much of the waterway and intends to impose a toll system.
Where they split
- Trump claims the U.S. "owns" the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran asserts it effectively controls much of the waterway.
- Trump stated the U.S. naval blockade is universally called 'A WALL OF STEEL,' a claim not echoed by other sources.
- Al Jazeera and Reuters report differing figures for the number of ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, with Al Jazeera citing eight ships and Reuters reporting 130 to 140 ships pre-war.
- Jewish News Syndicate and The Independent include details about an alleged assassination threat against Trump by Iran, a detail not covered by other outlets.
Source Perspectives
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