Shooting down an Iranian drone in the Persian Gulf today, the U.S.S. Boxer Amphibious Assault ship, warned Iran before taking defensive action in to protect its vessel and crew. Pentagon officials said the Iranian drone got within 1,000 yards of the Boxer’s airspace, taking no chances downing the drone. President Donald Trump faced a similar situation June 20, when the paramilitary Iranian Republic Guard Corps [IRGC] shot down a U.S. drone over international waters in the Persian Gulf. Trump came within hair of a retaliatory strike, deciding at the time to reserve the time of choosing to respond. Today’s strike ratchets up tensions in the Persian Gulf through which about 20% of the world’s crude oil supply travels to various ports around the globe. Last month Trump blamed Iran for a serious of Limpet bombings of oil tankers in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
Since Trump pulled out of the July 15, 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA] AKA The Iranian Nuke Deal, slapping Iran with new sanctions on its oil sales, Iran has engaged with one provocation after another. “I want to apprise everyone of an incident in the Strait of Hormuz involving the USS Boxer, a navy amphibious assault ship,” Trump said in the East Room of the White House. “The Boxer took defensive action after an Iranian drone which had closed into a very, very near distance approximately 1,000 yards, ignoring multiple calls to stand down and was threatening the safety of the ship and the ship’s crew. The drone was immediately destroyed,” Trump said. Iranian officials pretended that nothing happened, showing no signs on state-controlled media of the incident. Iran claimed it had no information about any drone shot down in the Persian Gulf.
Iran’s been threatening in recent days-and-weeks to ramp up its nuclear enrichment program outside its compliance limits set by the JCPOA, further antagonizing U.S. and European Union officials. French President Emanuel Macron warned Iran to say within the JCPOA nuclear limits or face consequences from the EU. No one knew when Trump would retaliate for Iran’s June 20 U.S. drone attack. Less than a month later, the U.S. Navy acted decisively. Iran’s 59-year-old U.S.-educated Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said today that war with the U.S. was still a possibility, despite denials by 70-year-old Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Zarif talks like Iran is perfectly capable of going up against the U.S. military. With the Iranian economy in shambles and Rial currency at record lows, Iran lacks the economic or military resources to compete with the U.S.
Trump fired a warning shot today across Iran’s bow, telling the Mullah regime to no mess with the U.S. or its allies in the Persian Gulf or vicinity. “This is the latest of many provocative and hostile actions by Iran against vessels operation in international waters. The United States reserves the right to defend our personnel, facilities and interests,” said Trump. Reporting yesterday that Iran hijacked an Emirates oil tanker, Trump wanted to send Tehran a message that one more incident against the U.S. or its allies would result in a devastating U.S. military response. IRGC Commander Hossein Salami has been talking about Iran’s ballistic missiles taking out the U.S. drone but, more importantly, capable of hitting U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf, including the Abraham Lincoln battle group. Trump warned Iran today to release the seized tanker or face more possible military action.
Iran claims it seized the Emirates tanker for smuggling one million liters [220,000 gallons] of fuel. United Arab Emirates officials denied Iranian charges that it snagged the Panamanian-flagged Riah tanker near Iran’s Larak Island, home to the IRGC base. Despite threats to close the Strait of Hormuz by Salami, Trump put Iran on notice that any attempt to interfere with international shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf would be met with decisive military force. No matter what Iran’s bravado and provocation, it’s obvious it’s bluffing when it comes to going to war against the U.S. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is no fool when it comes to hanging on to power. Any skirmish with the U.S. could topple the Mullah regime, something the Ayatollah won’t let happen. Trump has already warned Iran that if it starts weaponizing uranium again, it could be a red line for U.S. intervention.
Shooting down an Iranian drone today, Trump sent a clear message to the Ayatollah that he’s getting dangerously close ending his Mullah regime. More than retaliation over the June 20 shoot down of a U.S. Global Hawk surveillance drone, sending the big guns into the Persian Gulf lets Iran know that Trump intends to keep international shipping lanes open. U.S. Centcom Commander General Kenneth McKenzie, speaking today in Riyadh, confirmed he was working on keeping the Persian Gulf open for international commerce. With IRGC chief Salami threatening to shut down the Strait of Homuz, Trump let Tehran know that it’s not going to happen. When you consider the stakes for the Mullah government, the Ayatollah is likely to stand down in the face of superior U.S. firepower. While anything’s possible, it’s unlikely the Ayatollah would push things to the brink.
