In light of the ongoing US blockade, President Donald Trump shared details on Friday about a significant military operation where American forces reportedly intercepted an Iranian ship. During his speech at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches Dinner, Trump recounted how the vessel was compelled to stop, leading to the seizure of its cargo and oil. He vividly described the tense situation, stating, "And there was no response. Turn your ship around. Evacuate your engine room immediately. And you see all these guys running out of there. Now, they're five miles away. And one shot into the engine room, blew up the engine room. The ship stopped. The ship. They used tugboats. And then we landed on top of it. On top of everything else. We then land on top of it," Trump elaborated. He further remarked, "We took over the ship. We took over the cargo, took over the oil. It's a very profitable business. Who would have thought we were doing that? We're like pirates. We're sort of like pirates. But we're not playing games because, you know, for 47 years, Iran has been pushing everybody around. They're the bully," he added.
According to a report from Axios, the US blockade in the Gulf of Oman and adjacent maritime routes has reportedly resulted in a loss of approximately $4.8 billion in oil revenue for Iran. This information, based on Pentagon estimates, indicates that Tehran is facing increased financial strain due to the blockade. The Department of War's assessment highlights that Iran has been deprived of nearly $5 billion in oil earnings as a result of US enforcement actions aimed at disrupting sanctioned maritime trade and energy exports. This report emerges amidst heightened tensions regarding shipping routes near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit point. The United States initiated a naval blockade against Iran on April 13, following unsuccessful talks in Islamabad aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict.
