Iran Fires on Ships and US Navy Responds by Sinking Six of their "Fast Assault Boats"

CBS "News:"

Live Updates: U.S. sinks 6 small Iranian boats as Iran launches attacks on UAE and a ship in Strait of Hormuz

Iran launched its first missile and drone attack on the United Arab Emirates since a ceasefire with the U.S. took effect on April 8, and it fired two drones at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, UAE authorities said Monday.

The U.S. military said two commercial vessels safely transited the strait amid "efforts to restore transit for commercial shipping" under the Project Freedom initiative announced by President Trump.

The Iranian regime says it received a U.S. response to its latest 14-point peace proposal, which it says is aimed at ending the war, not extending the current ceasefire. Mr. Trump said over the weekend that he'd likely reject the Iranian proposal, as "they have not paid a big enough price."

Trump just stated that hostilities were officially concluded, backdating this to the start of the "hot ceasefire." That satisfies the 60-days-without-congressional-authorization demand of the unconstitutional War Powers Act.

What Iran absolutely should not do is attack American ships, because that would give Trump full legal authorization to counterattack them on his own authority.

And guess what they say they did?

...

Iranian state media said earlier that forces fired "warning" shots, including missiles and drones, at a U.S. destroyer as it neared the Strait of Hormuz in the Sea of Oman.

CENTCOM said two U.S.-flagged commercial vessels transited the strait Monday under the auspices of Project Freedom, an initiative announced by President Trump on Sunday for the U.S. military to guide ships through the waterway.

Iranian authorities insist the strait is closed and only vessels with explicit permission from its military will be permitted to pass, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent insisted Monday that the U.S. has full control over the waterway.

Apparently they're now claiming they didn't attack-attack Navy ships. I don't know if they did or they didn't. I think their statement that they did should be taken at face value.

Trump announced that US Navy ships will escort tankers through the Strait, beginning today, in another attempt to defeat Iran's use of the price of oil against him.

President Trump said the U.S. Navy will start guiding ships from foreign countries through the Strait of Hormuz from Monday and warned that if Iran tries to disrupt the process, the American military will use force.

Why it matters: This move that Trump called "Project Freedom" is the most significant step by his administration to try and reopen the key strait since Iran shut it down early in the war.

While Trump claims the move is "humanitarian," it is a clear U.S. challenge to Tehran's effort to control the strait. An Iranian military response could spark a confrontation or even an escalation back to war.

Iran's attempt to shut down the free navigation of ships is also an act of war that authorizes Trump's retaliation on his own authority.

Update: CENTCOM is using slippery language -- they say they'll be guiding ships through the Strait, not escorting them. I am guessing this is for legal reasons. Trump doesn't want his domestic disloyal opposition claiming that if he "escorts" ships that's a violation of the War Powers Act.

posted by Disinformation Expert Ace at 01:28 PM

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