Amid escalating military tensions with Iran, US President Donald Trump explained why American forces opted to sink Iranian naval vessels rather than capture them. According to Trump, military officials advised that destroying the ships was both safer and more practical than seizing them.
“He said, it’s more fun to sink him. They like sinking him better. They say it’s safer to sink him. I guess it’s probably true,” Trump said.
While discussing the ongoing military campaign against the Islamic Republic alongside Israel, Trump claimed the operation was significantly weakening Tehran’s military capabilities.
“Now everybody understands it. Together with our Israeli partners, we’re crushing the enemy in an overwhelming display of technical skill and military force,” the American president said.
Trump also asserted that Iran’s missile and drone capabilities were being severely degraded as part of the operation.
“Iran’s drone and missile capability is being utterly demolished,” Trump said.
He further claimed that Iran’s naval forces had suffered major losses during the confrontation.
“The Navy is gone. It’s all lying at the bottom of the ocean. Forty-six ships. Can you believe it?” he said.
Trump added that he had even questioned why certain ships were destroyed instead of being seized.
“In fact, I get a little upset with our people. I said, what quality of ship? ‘Excellent, sir. Top of the line’. I said, ‘Why did we just capture the ship? We’re going to use it. Why did we sink him?’,” Trump said.
Trump’s remarks came after the United States and Iran issued conflicting accounts regarding the sinking of an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean last week. In a statement posted on X, US command rejected Iran’s claim that the vessel was unarmed, calling the assertion “false”.
Iranian officials, however, have repeatedly maintained that the ship was not engaged in combat and was returning home after taking part in a multinational naval exercise.
