US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that the US Navy has sunk 46 “top-of-the-line” Iranian naval ships so far. 

While addressing a gathering of congressional Republicans in Washington DC, Trump recalled his conversation with a military official on the US Navy’s campaign against Iran’s navy.

When President Trump asked about capturing and reusing Iranian ships rather than sinking them, the official quipped, “It’s more fun to sink them.”

President Trump’s comments on the destruction of the Iranian Navy followed his quick flip-flop on how long the war in the Middle East will continue.

Earlier in the day, he told an American news outlet that the war was “pretty much” complete and that Washington was “very far ahead” of his initial four to five week estimated time frame. “I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force,” Trump told CBS News.

But hours later, while speaking to Congressional Republicans at an event, Trump said that the US had “not won enough” yet and that the war would continue until Iran was “totally and decisively defeated.”

Reacting to Trump’s prediction about the war concluding sooner, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said that it would be the one to “determine the end of the war”. The outfit, which swears allegiance to the Shiite regime, added that it would not allow “one litre of oil” to leave the region if attacks from the United States and Israel continue.

The war has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global oil and liquefied natural gas transport, leaving tankers unable to sail for more than a week and forcing producers to halt pumping as storage fills.

The United States and Israel began attacking Iran on February 28 and Iran responded with its own strikes against Israel and Gulf states with US bases. However, their aims differ. While Israel aims to overthrow Iran’s system of clerical rule, US wants to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities and nuclear programme. President Trump has also said the war can end with a compliant Iranian government in place.

Source: India Today
--Agencies