Washington: US President Donald Trump said America is rallying international partners to police the Strait of Hormuz, claiming US strikes have "essentially defeated" Iran's military while warning of lingering threats from mines and terrorists.
“Militarily, we've essentially defeated Iran” Trump said, “We've taken out their Air Force… we've taken out their air defence”. "Their missiles are down to a low number. Likewise, the drones are way down… down to about 20 per cent of what they had," he said. He noted sparing parts of Kharg Island's oil infrastructure—for now.
Seeking broader buy-in for the vital oil chokepoint—through which China sources approximately 90% of its oil, versus the US's 1-2%—Trump revealed talks with about seven nations. "Some of the countries have mine sweepers. That's good. Some of the countries have a certain type of boat that could help us," he said, urging them: "I’m really demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory."
Trump dismissed Iranian AI-generated fakes, like bogus images of a burning USS Abraham Lincoln or destroyed US tankers. "The kamikaze boats don't exist. It's AI-generated. It's fake," he charged, blasting domestic media for amplifying disinformation: "I actually think it's pretty criminal because our media companies… are putting out information that they know is false."
Channels with Iran remain open, he added: " We're talking to 'em,” he said. “But I don't think they're ready."
(Inputs from IANS)