【Iran Crisis】Two oil tankers in the Persian Gulf catch fire and explode, causing a sharp rise in Brent crude oil, once again approaching the 100 mark. Iranian officials hint at the possibility of blocking the Red Sea entrance on the other side (updating continuously).

According to reports from overseas news agencies such as Faytuks Network, there was a fire and explosion on an oil tanker in the Persian Gulf. Iraqi port officials stated that two foreign oil tankers were attacked within the past hour, and 25 crew members evacuated. Reports indicate that the two oil tankers on fire near the Iraqi coast are the Malta-flagged ZEFYROS and the Marshall Islands-flagged SAFESEA VISHNU.

Brent crude surged 6%, trading at $97.64.

EXCLUSIVE: The 2 Tankers that are on fire off the coast of Iraq are the Malta flagged ZEFYROS and the Marshall Islands flagged SAFESEA VISHNU pic.twitter.com/rpWfoHw20C

— Stellar Man (@stellarman22) March 11, 2026

▼Click image to enlarge

According to Al Jazeera, an unnamed senior Iranian military/security official warned that if the US makes a strategic mistake, another strait could face a situation similar to the Strait of Hormuz. This statement is widely interpreted as referring to the Strait of Mandeb at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, another critical route for oil transportation.

The official also added in an interview that the Middle East “may soon enter a regional war,” emphasizing that Iran “still has many cards to play.”

When asked by reporters, Trump responded, “They have lost their navy, lost their air force, have no air defense systems, no radar. Their leaders are gone. And we can do worse to each other. We’ve left some things behind, and we can take them away today, in fact within an hour, and they will never be able to rebuild that country.”

Trump stated that oil companies should use the Strait of Hormuz. “We almost destroyed all their mine-laying ships in one night. We’ve hit 60 ships—I didn’t realize they had such a large navy. I’d say it’s big but ineffective. But almost all of their navy, nearly every ship, has sunk to the bottom of the sea.”

He continued, claiming Iran is not laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. “Spain is not cooperating at all. They are very bad. We might cut off trade with Spain.”

$1 or less indicates news from Wednesday====

Iran plans to lay thousands of mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump: They will face unprecedented military consequences

The Strait of Hormuz remains a global focus. CBS citing US intelligence sources reports that Iran may be preparing to deploy mines in the strait, possibly using small boats capable of carrying two to three mines for deployment. Iran’s current mine stockpile is estimated to be between 2,000 and 6,000.

CNN reports, citing two US intelligence officials, that Iran has begun deploying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, only dozens of mines have been deployed, but Iran still has 80-90% of its small boats and minelaying vessels available.

Trump then posted on Truth Social: “If Iran has actually laid mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and we have no reports of it, we demand they remove them immediately! If they have laid mines for any reason and fail to remove them immediately, Iran will face unprecedented military consequences. Conversely, if they remove any mines they may have placed, that would be a big step in the right direction! Additionally, we are using the same technology and missile capabilities—originally used to combat drug traffickers—to permanently eliminate any ships or vessels attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. They will be dealt with swiftly and forcefully. Warning!”

Trump added, “In the past few hours, we have hit and completely destroyed 10 inactive minelaying ships or vessels, and more will follow!”

U.S. Energy Secretary makes false claim

Energy Secretary Chris Wright mistakenly claimed on social media that the U.S. Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified: “The U.S. Navy is not currently escorting any oil tankers or ships.”

“I noticed the post but haven’t had a chance to speak directly with the Secretary,” Leavitt said. “However, I know the post was quickly deleted.”

Wright previously posted: “The U.S. Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the continued supply of oil to global markets.”

The International Energy Agency (IEA) will hold a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss the possible release of emergency reserves. The organization’s over 30 member countries, mainly developed economies in Europe, North America, and Northeast Asia, collectively hold 1.2 billion barrels of oil reserves.

Hegseth: The most intense day of strikes

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, “Today will again be the most intense day of strikes inside Iran.” He pointed out that in the past 24 hours, Iran launched the lowest number of missiles they have ever launched, and condemned Iran for unprovoked attacks on its Gulf neighbors, some of which were once allies.

He said the targets include destroying Iran’s missile stockpiles and manufacturing capabilities; “destroying their navy”; and “permanently depriving Iran of the possibility of possessing nuclear weapons.”

Russia does not share intelligence with Iran

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said that Russian leaders denied allegations of sharing intelligence with Iran during a call with Trump on Monday.

$1 or less indicates news from Tuesday====

Oil tankers halted before passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump: Iran’s war will end soon, but no promise on timing

Oil prices plunged nearly 10%, with Brent crude falling 9% to $90.3, and NYMEX crude dropping 8% to $87. According to shipping sources, dozens of oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz appeared to attempt to break through, led by a Gambia-flagged vessel, FAREEDA 5, which reached near the strait but ultimately retreated back into the sea before passing through. As of 1 p.m., no ships had successfully crossed.

▼Click image to enlarge

According to semi-official Iranian media Fars News Agency, a senior Iranian military official warned, “Until further notice, we will not allow a single liter of oil to be exported to hostile parties and their allies in the region.”

CNBC reports that the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson also warned that oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz “must be very cautious,” stating, “As long as the situation remains unsafe, I believe all oil tankers and all maritime navigation must remain highly vigilant.” He said that targeting US military bases and assets in the region is “legitimate” under international law, based on UN Charter Article 51.

🔴 One senior Iranian military official told Al Mayadeen: Until further notice, we will not allow a single liter of oil to be exported to hostile parties and their allies in the region.

— Fars News Agency (@FarsNews_Agency) March 9, 2026

U.S. military transport aircraft appeared earlier today.

Trump stated that U.S. forces have deployed strong military and mine-clearing assets in the Strait of Hormuz, and will provide “political risk insurance” and direct escort for commercial ships if necessary. He emphasized that Iran will not be allowed to cut off global oil supplies.

Trump held a press conference, refusing to promise an end to the war “within days or this week,” but stressing it will be “very quick.” He said that because Iran’s military assets (navy, air force, radar, leadership, etc.) have been almost entirely destroyed, the operation will not take long. He noted that the current military progress is unprecedented, with the initial timetable—expected to take about a month—already being surpassed.

He claimed that the U.S. has severely damaged Iran’s military, sinking 51 naval vessels, destroying drone manufacturing facilities, and reducing missile capabilities to below 10%. Over 5,000 targets have been struck, including high-value strategic targets, and Iran’s top leadership has been eliminated two to three times. Deep underground nuclear facilities intended for covert reconstruction have been destroyed, preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

He said that Iran’s power grid and critical infrastructure remain intact as leverage; if Iran retaliates, it will face devastating consequences. He stated that the most dangerous phase of the war was over “within three days.”

He expressed hope that Iran will nominate a new leadership willing to pursue peace. He was disappointed that Iran’s Supreme Leader is the son of Khamenei.

He emphasized that protecting the strait’s open passage is mainly to stabilize the global economy, explicitly noting that this action actually helps countries like China that depend on the route. “I want to keep it open. I want to keep it good. You know, it doesn’t affect us as much as it affects China. We’re actually helping China and other countries because they get a lot of energy from the strait. But we have a very good relationship with China. I’m honored to do this.”

Summary of the press conference:

“Over the past weekend, the U.S. military and Israeli Defense Forces continued to execute Operation Epic Fury with unprecedented success. Over the past nine days, we launched the most powerful and complex military strikes and tactical exercises in history. If you add these actions to our other achievements—such as Operation Midnight Hammer, which eliminated Iran’s nuclear threat, and successes in Venezuela and elsewhere—we have achieved enormous victories everywhere.”

“At the same time, we have made significant progress in achieving our military objectives. Some might say these goals are already quite close to being fulfilled. We have thoroughly and completely eliminated every armed force inside Iran. Most of Iran’s navy has been sunk, submerged. Just received reports of 51 ships. I didn’t even realize they had so many ships, but they didn’t last long. These are combat vessels, meant for fighting, but they are no match for us.”

“We continue to target Iran’s drone and missile capabilities. Their drone fleet has been greatly reduced. Their drone manufacturing facilities are under full attack from today. We have seized all their drone production sites and are destroying them one by one. Their missile capabilities have dropped to about 10%, maybe less. We are also precisely striking their missile manufacturing and transportation facilities. So far, we have hit over 5,000 targets, including very strategic ones. But we are holding back some of the most critical targets for future use. If we strike those, they will need many years to rebuild, involving power plants and many other critical infrastructures. So unless absolutely necessary, we do not intend to go that far. These targets are easy to hit, but once hit, they will cause catastrophic consequences. We are watching what happens before deciding whether to strike them. We could destroy all of them in a day.”

“But all these actions have caused about 90% of the overall capacity in various sectors to decline, especially Iran’s missile launchers. As you know, drone launchers have declined by over 83%. Drone launchers are almost destroyed, and Iran’s missile launchers have declined by over 90%. These are highly sophisticated, hard-to-replicate equipment. Usually, with our advanced gear and top-tier personnel, we can destroy a launcher within five minutes or less after it fires a missile.”

“So now, we have low-cost interception systems that effectively counter Iran’s drones; our B-2 bombers recently dropped dozens of 2,000-pound bombs on missile launchers across Iran, penetrating underground facilities that cannot withstand such penetrations. We are also destroying their industrial bases for drone and missile manufacturing at an unprecedented speed. We know their locations precisely and are eliminating them rapidly. Our progress has far exceeded initial timelines. I dare say, we probably never thought we’d achieve such progress in a month.”

“Additionally, we have eliminated their top leadership two or three times. As you know, we had to intervene. We don’t want a future president (if it’s someone else) to hesitate to do what I decisively did, which could lead us back into the same quagmire in five or ten years. So, they should nominate a new president or national leader capable of peaceful change. For 47 years, they have been killing. 47 years! Whether it’s military explosions or the USS Cole attack, they have been deeply involved, despite denial. They are complicit in all these tragedies caused by roadside bombs, the dead, and now veterans who have lost limbs or suffered severe facial injuries. This Iranian regime has been attacking Americans and spreading terrorism worldwide for 47 years.”

“Despite numerous opportunities to abandon nuclear ambitions—recently, they still cling to this goal—they have told officials like Witkoff that they want to continue building nuclear weapons. If we hadn’t launched Midnight Hammer and destroyed their nuclear capacity, they would have nuclear weapons by now, and they would have used them. At least Israel would be facing annihilation. We are very fortunate to have the courage to act, with talented pilots and excellent equipment. The B-2 bombers are incredible. (By the way, we’ve ordered 25 upgraded, better versions.) We have the greatest military in the world, far ahead of others. Wherever we go, you can see it. But you need the best personnel to operate and use it, and that’s what we value most.”

“Even after thoroughly destroying their key nuclear facilities, during Operation Midnight Hammer, they never seriously negotiated. They still insist on making nuclear weapons, refusing to enrich uranium to unacceptable levels. They even rejected a generous civilian offer to supply nuclear fuel free of charge indefinitely. We proposed providing free nuclear fuel, but they weren’t interested—they only want to make nuclear weapons.”

“So, this regime is trying to secretly rebuild its weapons program elsewhere. They can’t go back to the three sites we destroyed, so they are working at another location, in a different concealed terrain, protected by hard granite. They want protection, and granite is very strong, but they want to go deeper underground. They have started this process, while rapidly developing conventional ballistic missiles. They plan to advance both projects simultaneously, which directly threatens our overseas bases and could soon impact the U.S. homeland. Their evil plan is to use this exponential growth of ballistic missile threats to make it nearly impossible for the world to prevent their eventual nuclear acquisition.”

“So, as you can see, they once had an astonishing number of missiles, most of which are now expended or destroyed, and their use has been very unsuccessful because we can intercept most of them. The defense technology is incredible. Patriot missiles, THAAD systems, and advanced naval destroyers have intercepted hundreds of missiles targeting us and our allies.”

“Our laser technology, which will soon be fully operational, is also astonishing. We will have weapons capable of low-cost, precise interception of targets like Patriot missiles and other defense systems.”

“The situation is rapidly approaching an irreversible point, and the U.S. considers this absolutely intolerable. Based on intelligence—deep involvement—they believed they would attack us. I firmly believe that if we hadn’t preempted, they intended to attack the U.S. first. They did something extremely foolish: they attacked their neighbors, who are mostly neutral or at least not involved in the conflict, but they were attacked without cause. This backfired strongly, and those neighbors immediately turned to us, launching full-scale counterattacks, which have been very successful. Look at Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and other countries—they are strong and smart but were attacked. When I first heard this, I said no, someone must have misread the intelligence. But it wasn’t a mistake. The UAE was hit by over 1,000 missiles but nearly all were shot down.”

“On my first day in 2015, I said, ‘I will prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.’ What I am doing now is fulfilling that promise. Think about it—back in 2015, I issued warnings. It was a threat, then a bigger threat, but now it’s no longer a threat, at least for a long time. We want to keep it that way.”

“As we continue Operation Epic Fury, we are also highly focused on ensuring the smooth flow of global energy and oil. I will never allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and try to cut off global oil supplies. If Iran takes any reckless action, they will face far more devastating strikes than now. I will destroy those critical infrastructure targets I mentioned. We will do it very quickly. They will never recover. If they want to play this dangerous game, they’d better think twice. In the long run, without Iranian ships, drones, missiles, nuclear threats, or other threats, oil supplies will be much safer. The Strait of Hormuz will remain absolutely secure. We have deployed a large number of powerful naval vessels there, with the world’s most advanced mine-clearing equipment. Again, most of their ships are already sunk.”

“But we will strike them so fiercely that they or anyone trying to help them will never regain influence in that region, as long as they dare to act recklessly. Over recent years, this regime and its terrorist proxies have indiscriminately attacked hundreds of commercial ships. We are ending this threat completely. The ultimate result will be a significant reduction in oil and natural gas prices for American families. We have already achieved that, bringing prices down very low. This is a necessary military action to address a problem that must be solved. We are very close to fully accomplishing this goal.”

“Meanwhile, during this brief interruption, the U.S. will provide political risk insurance for any oil tankers operating in the Persian Gulf. We are offering solid risk coverage, and perhaps will escort them personally through the strait if needed. I don’t think it will be necessary, but if it is, we will escort them safely. We have the world’s most advanced mine-clearing capabilities, the largest invincible fleet, and know exactly where their minefields are. We will clear them very quickly. We are well ahead of schedule. I dare say, we probably never thought we’d be this far in just a month.”

“Furthermore, we have already eliminated their top leadership two or three times. As you know, we had to intervene. We don’t want a future president (if it’s someone else) hesitating to do what I decisively did, which could lead us back into the same quagmire in five or ten years. So, they should nominate a new president or national leader capable of peaceful change. For 47 years, they have been killing. 47 years! Whether it’s military explosions or the USS Cole attack, they have been deeply involved, despite denial. They are complicit in all these tragedies caused by roadside bombs, the dead, and now veterans who have lost limbs or suffered severe facial injuries. This Iranian regime has been attacking Americans and spreading terrorism worldwide for 47 years.”

“Despite numerous opportunities to abandon nuclear ambitions—recently, they still cling to this goal—they told officials like Witkoff that they want to continue building nuclear weapons. If we hadn’t launched Midnight Hammer and destroyed their nuclear capacity, they would have nuclear weapons by now, and they would have used them. At least Israel would be facing annihilation. We are very fortunate to have the courage to act, with talented pilots and excellent equipment. The B-2 bombers are incredible. (By the way, we’ve ordered 25 upgraded, better versions.) We have the greatest military in the world, far ahead of others. Wherever we go, you can see it. But you need the best personnel to operate and use it, and that’s what we value most.”

“Even after thoroughly destroying their key nuclear facilities, during Operation Midnight Hammer, they never seriously negotiated. They still insist on making nuclear weapons, refusing to enrich uranium to unacceptable levels. They even rejected a generous civilian offer to supply nuclear fuel free of charge indefinitely. We proposed providing free nuclear fuel, but they weren’t interested—they only want to make nuclear weapons.”

“So, this regime is trying to secretly rebuild its weapons program elsewhere. They can’t go back to the three sites we destroyed, so they are working at another location, in a different concealed terrain, protected by hard granite. They want protection, and granite is very strong, but they want to go deeper underground. They have started this process, while rapidly developing conventional ballistic missiles. They plan to advance both projects simultaneously, which directly threatens our overseas bases and could soon impact the U.S. homeland. Their evil plan is to use this exponential growth of ballistic missile threats to make it nearly impossible for the world to prevent their eventual nuclear acquisition.”

“So, as you can see, they once had an astonishing number of missiles, most of which are now expended or destroyed, and their use has been very unsuccessful because we can intercept most of them. The defense technology is incredible. Patriot missiles, THAAD systems, and advanced naval destroyers have intercepted hundreds of missiles targeting us and our allies.”

“Our laser technology, which will soon be fully operational, is also astonishing. We will have weapons capable of low-cost, precise interception of targets like Patriot missiles and other defense systems.”

“The situation is rapidly approaching an irreversible point, and the U.S. considers this absolutely intolerable. Based on intelligence—deep involvement—they believed they would attack us. I firmly believe that if we hadn’t preempted, they intended to attack the U.S. first. They did something extremely foolish: they attacked their neighbors, who are mostly neutral or at least not involved in the conflict, but they were attacked without cause. This backfired strongly, and those neighbors immediately turned to us, launching full-scale counterattacks, which have been very successful. Look at Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and other countries—they are strong and smart but were attacked. When I first heard this, I said no, someone must have misread the intelligence. But it wasn’t a mistake. The UAE was hit by over 1,000 missiles but nearly all were shot down.”

“On my first day in 2015, I said, ‘I will prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.’ What I am doing now is fulfilling that promise. Think about it—back in 2015, I issued warnings. It was a threat, then a bigger threat, but now it’s no longer a threat, at least for a long time. We want to keep it that way.”

“As we continue Operation Epic Fury, we are also highly focused on ensuring the smooth flow of global energy and oil. I will never allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and try to cut off global oil supplies. If Iran takes any reckless action, they will face far more devastating strikes than now. I will destroy those critical infrastructure targets I mentioned. We will do it very quickly. They will never recover. If they want to play this dangerous game, they’d better think twice. In the long run, without Iranian ships, drones, missiles, nuclear threats, or other threats, oil supplies will be much safer. The Strait of Hormuz will remain absolutely secure. We have deployed a large number of powerful naval vessels there, with the world’s most advanced mine-clearing equipment. Again, most of their ships are already sunk.”

“But we will strike them so fiercely that they or anyone trying to help them will never regain influence in that region, as long as they dare to act recklessly. Over recent years, this regime and its terrorist proxies have indiscriminately attacked hundreds of commercial ships. We are ending this threat completely. The ultimate result will be a significant reduction in oil and natural gas prices for American families. We have already achieved that, bringing prices down very low. This is a necessary military action to address a problem that must be solved. We are very close to fully accomplishing this goal.”

“Meanwhile, during this brief interruption, the U.S. will provide political risk insurance for any oil tankers operating in the Persian Gulf. We are offering solid risk coverage, and perhaps will escort them personally through the strait if needed. I don’t think it will be necessary, but if it is, we will escort them safely. We have the world’s most advanced mine-clearing capabilities, the largest invincible fleet, and know exactly where their minefields are. We will clear them very quickly. We are well ahead of schedule. I dare say, we probably never thought we’d be this far in just a month.”

“Furthermore, we have already eliminated their top leadership two or three times. As you know, we had to intervene. We don’t want a future president (if it’s someone else) hesitating to do what I decisively did, which could lead us back into the same quagmire in five or ten years. So, they should nominate a new president or national leader capable of peaceful change. For 47 years, they have been killing. 47 years! Whether it’s military explosions or the USS Cole attack, they have been deeply involved, despite denial. They are complicit in all these tragedies caused by roadside bombs, the dead, and now veterans who have lost limbs or suffered severe facial injuries. This Iranian regime has been attacking Americans and spreading terrorism worldwide for 47 years.”

“Despite numerous opportunities to abandon nuclear ambitions—recently, they still cling to this goal—they told officials like Witkoff that they want to continue building nuclear weapons. If we hadn’t launched Midnight Hammer and destroyed their nuclear capacity, they would have nuclear weapons by now, and they would have used them. At least Israel would be facing annihilation. We are very fortunate to have the courage to act, with talented pilots and excellent equipment. The B-2 bombers are incredible. (By the way, we’ve ordered 25 upgraded, better versions.) We have the greatest military in the world, far ahead of others. Wherever we go, you can see it. But you need the best personnel to operate and use it, and that’s what we value most.”

“Even after thoroughly destroying their key nuclear facilities, during Operation Midnight Hammer, they never seriously negotiated. They still insist on making nuclear weapons, refusing to enrich uranium to unacceptable levels. They even rejected a generous civilian offer to supply nuclear fuel free of charge indefinitely. We proposed providing free nuclear fuel, but they weren’t interested—they only want to make nuclear weapons.”

“So, this regime is trying to secretly rebuild its weapons program elsewhere. They can’t go back to the three sites we destroyed, so they are working at another location, in a different concealed terrain, protected by hard granite. They want protection, and granite is very strong, but they want to go deeper underground. They have started this process, while rapidly developing conventional ballistic missiles. They plan to advance both projects simultaneously, which directly threatens our overseas bases and could soon impact the U.S. homeland. Their evil plan is to use this exponential growth of ballistic missile threats to make it nearly impossible for the world to prevent their eventual nuclear acquisition.”

“So, as you can see, they once had an astonishing number of missiles, most of which are now expended or destroyed, and their use has been very unsuccessful because we can intercept most of them. The defense technology is incredible. Patriot missiles, THAAD systems, and advanced naval destroyers have intercepted hundreds of missiles targeting us and our allies.”

“Our laser technology, which will soon be fully operational, is also astonishing. We will have weapons capable of low-cost, precise interception of targets like Patriot missiles and other defense systems.”

“The situation is rapidly approaching an irreversible point, and the U.S. considers this absolutely intolerable. Based on intelligence—deep involvement—they believed they would attack us. I firmly believe that if we hadn’t preempted, they intended to attack the U.S. first. They did something extremely foolish: they attacked their neighbors, who are mostly neutral or at least not involved in the conflict, but they were attacked without cause. This backfired strongly, and those neighbors immediately turned to us, launching full-scale counterattacks, which have been very successful. Look at Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and other countries—they are strong and smart but were attacked. When I first heard this, I said no, someone must have misread the intelligence. But it wasn’t a mistake. The UAE was hit by over 1,000 missiles but nearly all were shot down.”

“On my first day in 2015, I said, ‘I will prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.’ What I am doing now is fulfilling that promise. Think about it—back in 2015, I issued warnings. It was a threat, then a bigger threat, but now it’s no longer a threat, at least for a long time. We want to keep it that way.”

“As we continue Operation Epic Fury, we are also highly focused on ensuring the smooth flow of global energy and oil. I will never allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and try to cut off global oil supplies. If Iran takes any reckless action, they will face far more devastating strikes than now. I will destroy those critical infrastructure targets I mentioned. We will do it very quickly. They will never recover. If they want to play this dangerous game, they’d better think twice. In the long run, without Iranian ships, drones, missiles, nuclear threats, or other threats, oil supplies will be much safer. The Strait of Hormuz will remain absolutely secure. We have deployed a large number of powerful naval vessels there, with the world’s most advanced mine-clearing equipment. Again, most of their ships are already sunk.”

“But we will strike them so fiercely that they or anyone trying to help them will never regain influence in that region, as long as they dare to act recklessly. Over recent years, this regime and its terrorist proxies have indiscriminately attacked hundreds of commercial ships. We are ending this threat completely. The ultimate result will be a significant reduction in oil and natural gas prices for American families. We have already achieved that, bringing prices down very low. This is a necessary military action to address a problem that must be solved. We are very close to fully accomplishing this goal.”

“Meanwhile, during this brief interruption, the U.S. will provide political risk insurance for any oil tankers operating in the Persian Gulf. We are offering solid risk coverage, and perhaps will escort them personally through the strait if needed. I don’t think it will be necessary, but if it is, we will escort them safely. We have the world’s most advanced mine-clearing capabilities, the largest invincible fleet, and know exactly where their minefields are. We will clear them very quickly. We are well ahead of schedule. I dare say, we probably never thought we’d be this far in just a month.”

“Furthermore, we have already eliminated their top leadership two or three times. As you know, we had to intervene. We don’t want a future president (if it’s someone else) hesitating to do what I decisively did, which could lead us back into the same quagmire in five or ten years. So, they should nominate a new president or national leader capable of peaceful change. For 47 years, they have been killing. 47 years! Whether it’s military explosions or the USS Cole attack, they have been deeply involved, despite denial. They are complicit in all these tragedies caused by roadside bombs, the dead, and now veterans who have lost limbs or suffered severe facial injuries. This Iranian regime has been attacking Americans and spreading terrorism worldwide for 47 years.”

“Despite numerous opportunities to abandon nuclear ambitions—recently, they still cling to this goal—they told officials like Witkoff that they want to continue building nuclear weapons. If we hadn’t launched Midnight Hammer and destroyed their nuclear capacity, they would have nuclear weapons by now, and they would have used them. At least Israel would be facing annihilation. We are very fortunate to have the courage to act, with talented pilots and excellent equipment. The B-2 bombers are incredible. (By the way, we’ve ordered 25 upgraded, better versions.) We have the greatest military in the world, far ahead of others. Wherever we go, you can see it. But you need the best personnel to operate and use it, and that’s what we value most.”

“Even after thoroughly destroying their key nuclear facilities, during Operation Midnight Hammer, they never seriously negotiated. They still insist on making nuclear weapons, refusing to enrich uranium to unacceptable levels. They even rejected a generous civilian offer to supply nuclear fuel free of charge indefinitely. We proposed providing free nuclear fuel, but they weren’t interested—they only want to make nuclear weapons.”

“So, this regime is trying to secretly rebuild its weapons program elsewhere. They can’t go back to the three sites we destroyed, so they are working at another location, in a different concealed terrain, protected by hard granite. They want protection, and granite is very strong, but they want to go deeper underground. They have started this process, while rapidly developing conventional ballistic missiles. They plan to advance both projects simultaneously, which directly threatens our overseas bases and could soon impact the U.S. homeland. Their evil plan is to use this exponential growth of ballistic missile threats to make it nearly impossible for the world to prevent their eventual nuclear acquisition.”

“So, as you can see, they once had an astonishing number of missiles, most of which are now expended or destroyed, and their use has been very unsuccessful because we can intercept most of them. The defense technology is incredible. Patriot missiles, THAAD systems, and advanced naval destroyers have intercepted hundreds of missiles targeting us and our allies.”

“Our laser technology, which will soon be fully operational, is also astonishing. We will have weapons capable of low-cost, precise interception of targets like Patriot missiles and other defense systems.”

“The situation is rapidly approaching an irreversible point, and the U.S. considers this absolutely intolerable. Based on intelligence—deep involvement—they believed they would attack us. I firmly believe that if we hadn’t preempted, they intended to attack the U.S. first. They did something extremely foolish: they attacked their neighbors, who are mostly neutral or at least not involved in the conflict, but they were attacked without cause. This backfired strongly, and those neighbors immediately turned to us, launching full-scale counterattacks, which have been very successful. Look at Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and other countries—they are strong and smart but were attacked. When I first heard this, I said no, someone must have misread the intelligence. But it wasn’t a mistake. The UAE was hit by over 1,000 missiles but nearly all were shot down.”

“On my first day in 2015, I said, ‘I will prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.’ What I am doing now is fulfilling that promise. Think about it—back in 2015, I issued warnings. It was a threat, then a bigger threat, but now it’s no longer a threat, at least for a long time. We want to keep it that way.”

“As we continue Operation Epic Fury, we are also highly focused on ensuring the smooth flow of global energy and oil. I will never allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and try to cut off global oil supplies. If Iran takes any reckless action, they will face far more devastating strikes than now. I will destroy those critical infrastructure targets I mentioned. We will do it very quickly. They will never recover. If they want to play this dangerous game, they’d better think twice. In the long run, without Iranian ships, drones, missiles, nuclear threats, or other threats, oil supplies will be much safer. The Strait of Hormuz will remain absolutely secure. We have deployed a large number of powerful naval vessels there, with the world’s most advanced mine-clearing equipment. Again, most of their ships are already sunk.”

“But we will strike them so fiercely that they or anyone trying to help them will never regain influence in that region, as long as they dare to act recklessly. Over recent years, this regime and its terrorist proxies have indiscriminately attacked hundreds of commercial ships. We are ending this threat completely. The ultimate result will be a significant reduction in oil and natural gas prices for American families. We have already achieved that, bringing prices down very low. This is a necessary military action to address a problem that must be solved. We are very close to fully accomplishing this goal.”

“Meanwhile, during this brief interruption, the U.S. will provide political risk insurance for any oil tankers operating in the Persian Gulf. We are offering solid risk coverage, and perhaps will escort them personally through the strait if needed. I don’t think it will be necessary, but if it is, we will escort them safely. We have the world’s most advanced mine-clearing capabilities, the largest invincible fleet, and know exactly where their minefields are. We will clear them very quickly. We are well ahead of schedule. I dare say, we probably never thought we’d be this far in just a month.”

“Furthermore, we have already eliminated their top leadership two or three times. As you know, we had to intervene. We don’t want a future president (if it’s someone else) hesitating to do what I decisively did, which could lead us back into the same quagmire in five or ten years. So, they should nominate a new president or national leader capable of peaceful change. For 47 years, they have been killing. 47 years! Whether it’s military explosions or the USS Cole attack, they have been deeply involved, despite denial. They are complicit in all these tragedies caused by roadside bombs, the dead, and now veterans who have lost limbs or suffered severe facial injuries. This Iranian regime has been attacking Americans and spreading terrorism worldwide for 47 years.”

“Despite numerous opportunities to abandon nuclear ambitions—recently, they still cling to this goal—they told officials like Witkoff that they want to continue building nuclear weapons. If we hadn’t launched Midnight Hammer and destroyed their nuclear capacity, they would have nuclear weapons by now, and they would have used them. At least Israel would be facing annihilation. We are very fortunate to have the courage to act, with talented pilots and excellent equipment. The B-2 bombers are incredible. (By the way, we’ve ordered 25 upgraded, better versions.) We have the greatest military in the world, far ahead of others. Wherever we go, you can see it. But you need the best personnel to operate and use it, and that’s what we value most.”

“Even after thoroughly destroying their key nuclear facilities, during Operation Midnight Hammer, they never seriously negotiated. They still insist on making nuclear weapons, refusing to enrich uranium to unacceptable levels. They even rejected a generous civilian offer to supply nuclear fuel free of charge indefinitely. We proposed providing free nuclear fuel, but they weren’t interested—they only want to make nuclear weapons.”

“So, this regime is trying to secretly rebuild its weapons program elsewhere. They can’t go back to the three sites we destroyed, so they are working at another location, in a different concealed terrain, protected by hard granite. They want protection, and granite is very strong, but they want to go deeper underground. They have started this process, while rapidly developing conventional ballistic missiles. They plan to advance both projects simultaneously, which directly threatens our overseas bases and could soon impact the U.S. homeland. Their evil plan is to use this exponential growth of ballistic missile threats to make it nearly impossible for the world to prevent their eventual nuclear acquisition.”

“So, as you can see, they once had an astonishing number of missiles, most of which are now expended or destroyed, and their use has been very unsuccessful because we can intercept most of them. The defense technology is incredible. Patriot missiles, THAAD systems, and advanced naval destroyers have intercepted hundreds of missiles targeting us and our allies.”

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