Trump claims Iran’s air force, navy “gone,” says US sank 24 ships in 3 days

US President Donald Trump has claimed – without presenting evidence – that Iran has effectively lost its air force and navy, noting that the US has destroyed 24 Iranian ships in three days, as tensions in the region continue to escalate.

Speaking during an event at the White House, the US president said: “We’re destroying more of Iran’s missile and drone capability every single hour – knocking them out," Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

He added: “So [Iran] have no air force, they have no air defence. All of their airplanes are gone, their communications are gone. Other than that, they’re doing quite well. Their navy is gone, [they lost] 24 ships in three days, that’s a lot of ships,” he said, along with 60% of Iran’s missiles and 64% of its missile launchers.”

Trump also said that the US military and Israel are “totally demolish[ing]” Iranian targets “far ahead of schedule”.

The remarks come amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime passage between Iran and Oman through which about a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas passes.

Closing the strategic chokepoint has been described as one of Iran’s main objectives, and shipping through the vital energy route has slowed dramatically after Iranian strikes on six vessels.

"They have no navy, you ⁠know the navy is now at the bottom of the sea," Trump told Reuters. "I'm watching Hormuz very closely."

By Sabina Mammadli