Trump Declares US Has 'Literally Obliterated' Iran's Military Capabilities
In a sweeping assessment of the ongoing conflict, US President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that American forces have "literally obliterated" Iran's military capabilities. Speaking ahead of a meeting with the Kennedy Center board of trustees, Trump detailed the extensive damage inflicted on Tehran's armed forces, while simultaneously urging other nations to join efforts to secure the vital Strait of Hormuz for global shipping.
Comprehensive Destruction of Iranian Military Infrastructure
President Trump offered one of his most expansive evaluations yet of the US-led campaign against Iran, declaring that Tehran's air force, navy, air defenses, and command structure have been devastated by American military operations. "Our powerful military campaign to end the threats posed by the Iranian regime continued in full force over the past few days. They have been literally obliterated. The Air Force is gone. The Navy is gone. Many, many ships have been sunk," Trump stated emphatically.
He added with characteristic sarcasm: "They're war-fighting ships, anti-aircraft is decimated, their radar is gone, and their leaders are gone. Other than that, they're doing quite well."
Over 7,000 Targets Struck Across Iran
Trump revealed that the United States has conducted more than 7,000 strikes across Iran since the conflict began, targeting both commercial and military sites. He claimed these operations have significantly degraded Tehran's offensive capabilities, achieving what he described as a 90 percent reduction in ballistic missile launches and a 95 percent reduction in drone attacks.
"Since the beginning of the conflict, we've struck more than 7,000 targets across Iran, and these have been mostly commercial and military targets. We've achieved a 90 percent reduction in their ballistic missile launches and a 95 percent reduction in drone attacks," Trump explained.
The President further disclosed that American forces have targeted facilities involved in missile and drone production, stating: "We've also attacked the manufacturing plants, the places where they manufacture the missiles and the drones, and that's going on today. We just hit three of them today."
Naval Vessels Destroyed and Strategic Strikes
Trump claimed that more than 100 Iranian naval vessels have been "sunk or destroyed" over the last week and a half, including 30 mine-laying ships. This aggressive action aims to blunt Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf region.
"We are aggressively dismantling Iran's defence industrial base, and its ability to rebuild its missiles and drone capability is getting close to zero," he asserted.
Regarding strategic infrastructure, Trump confirmed that US forces struck Kharg Island, home to Iran's main oil export terminal, but claimed Washington deliberately avoided completely destroying energy infrastructure. "We attacked Kharg Island and knocked it. We destroyed everything on the island except for the area where the oil is. We left the pipes," Trump said, adding: "We didn't want to do that, but we will do that... But for purposes of someday rebuilding that country, I guess we did the right thing."
Call for International Support to Secure Strait of Hormuz
Despite his claims of battlefield success, President Trump acknowledged that the Strait of Hormuz remains vulnerable due to its narrow geography and Iran's ability to launch short-range attacks. The strategic waterway normally carries approximately one-fifth of the world's traded oil.
"We have it (Strait of Hormuz) in very good shape. We've already taken care of Iran, but now, because of the fact that literally a single terrorist can shoot a missile, and it's fairly close range, because it is a tight area... Iran has always used that as an economic weapon," Trump explained.
He called on countries that rely on Gulf oil flows to contribute to securing the waterway: "Come and help us with the Strait," he urged, while declining to specify which nations had agreed to assist. Trump added: "It's not going to be able to be used very long. Numerous countries have told me they're on the way. Some are very enthusiastic about it, and some are countries that we've helped for many, many years."
Allied Response Remains Cautious and Divided
Trump's appeal for international naval support has so far met with cautious and often negative responses from traditional American allies, reflecting strain in Washington's alliance relationships following the US and Israel's decision to launch the war without broad prior consultation.
Key international responses include:
- Germany: Defence Minister Boris Pistorius delivered the sharpest refusal, stating: "This is not our war; we did not start it."
- Japan, Italy, and Australia: Signalled on Monday that they would not participate in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
- France, South Korea, and Britain: Adopted more non-committal positions, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying Britain would not be "drawn into wider war" while still working on a "viable collective plan" to restore freedom of navigation.
- Italy: Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Rome supports reinforcing EU naval missions in the Red Sea but added: "I don't think these missions can be expanded to include the Strait of Hormuz."
Trump has publicly warned that a lack of allied support could damage the NATO alliance. He told the Financial Times on Sunday that if NATO members refused or gave a negative response, "it will be very bad for the future of NATO."
The US continues trying to assemble a coalition to protect shipping through the strategic waterway after Iranian strikes and mining threats effectively disrupted tanker traffic, creating significant challenges for global energy markets.
