Trump warns Iran boats breaching US blockade will be 'eliminated'

Washington, United States: President Donald Trump said US forces would destroy any Iranian "fast attack ships" that approach the American naval blockade of Iranian ports that came into effect on Monday.

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"Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED," Trump said on his Truth Social network, adding that the rest of Iran's navy had been "completely obliterated."

"Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea." - President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/Gj9nFCfG8T

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 13, 2026

The US military would be "using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea," the president said, referring to air strikes on alleged narcotics boats off the coast of Venezuela.

What the blockade means

The blockade marks a shift away from diplomacy toward a more coercive approach, warning it could deepen tensions in the Middle East.

Trump himself has said he "doesn't care" whether or not Iran goes back to the negotiating table.

Trump's remarks and the volatility of the current situation, underscore growing political sensitivity around fuel prices in an election year, when energy costs often play a decisive role in voter sentiment.