Trump Tweets That He’s Order Navy To ‘Shoot Down And Destroy’ Iranian Boats That Harass U.S. Ships

President Donald Trump instructed the Navy on Wednesday to “shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats” that harass U.S. ships via Twitter. 

I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2020

“I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea,” Trump wrote. 

It’s not certain if the president’s tweet was a standard order or whether or not Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, will fire in the case an Iranian boat does come close. 

This is the latest threat Trump has used against Iran and comes as he’s come under fire for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Last week, the U.S. Navy released a video that they say shows Iranian vessels conducting “dangerous and harassing approaches” toward U.S. Navy warships in the North Arabian Sea. The Navy claimed that one Iranian vessel came within 10 yards of crashing into a U.S. ship. 

The video appears to show several Iranian vessels with men with guns in the front of those ships. Those guns did not appear to be pointed at the US ships.