Trump says Iran will be 'blown off the face of the Earth' if US ships are targeted in Strait of Hormuz

Donald Trump has warned that Iran could be “blown off the face of the earth” if US vessels are attacked in the Strait of Hormuz , as tensions in the region continue to escalate.

His remarks came after Washington launched “Project Freedom” to assist hundreds of ships stranded in the Gulf.

Trump claimed US forces had destroyed seven small Iranian boats, a claim that Tehran denied.

Trump described the ongoing US naval effort as “one of the greatest military manoeuvres ever done”.

Meanwhile, US Central Command denied Iranian claims that two Iranian missiles struck a US warship intending to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Semi-official state news agency Fars said the warship was turned back after it was struck while sailing near Jask island, after Tehran earlier warned it would attack any US boats that entered the Strait of Hormuz .

Trump said that “Project Freedom” aimed to “free up people, companies, and Countries that have done absolutely nothing wrong”. Iran had afterwards warned that “any foreign armed forces, especially the aggressive US army, will be attacked” if they approach the Strait.

A fire has broken out across several commercial vessels docked at Iran’s southern port of Dayyer, semi-official Mehr News Agency reported on Tuesday.

It said that the firefighters were working to contain the blaze.

The cause of the incident remains unknown.

India’s ministry of external affairs has described the attack on the United Arab Emirates’ Fujairah, which injured three Indian nationals, as “unacceptable” in a post on X.

“We call for immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians,” the ministry said, referring to the drone strike on the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone that the UAE said was carried out by Iran.

Earlier, the United Arab Emirates said it intercepted several missiles and drones, believed to have originated from Iran, on Monday and called them a “dangerous escalation” and a clear violation of international law.

Donald Trump has declined to confirm whether the US ceasefire with Iran is still in effect after both sides reported fresh exchanges in the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking on The Hugh Hewitt Show , he was asked if the pause in hostilities was over and whether strikes would resume, but replied: “Well, I can’t tell you that.”

He added: “If I answered that question, you’d say this man is not smart enough to be president.”

Iran claims that five people were killed after the US struck two civilian boats carrying goods, according to an Iranian state media report citing a military source.

The report followed claims by Donald Trump that US forces had destroyed seven “small boats” in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.

Writing on Truth Social, he said: “We’ve shot down seven small Boats or, as they like to call them, ‘fast’ Boats. It’s all they have left.”

Earlier, Tehran said it had hit a US warship near the strait, a claim the US military has rejected.

Shipping giant Maersk says one of its US-flagged vessels has successfully exited the Strait of Hormuz under US military protection as part of what Donald Trump has called “Project Freedom”.

The company told the BBC that the transit was “completed without incident, and all crew members are safe and unharmed”.

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the situation in the strait has made it clear that “there’s no military solution” to the political crisis and dismissed the US effort, saying “Project Freedom is Project Deadlock”.

The Strait of Hormuz has remained largely blocked since the US and Israeli air strikes on Iran in February.

The United Arab Emirates strongly condemned the wave of missiles and drone attacks, believed to have originated from Iran on Monday and called them a “dangerous escalation” and a clear violation of international law.

The strikes left three Indian nationals injured and, according to officials, pose a direct threat to the country’s security, stability, and territorial safety.

The UAE earlier said it had intercepted several missiles and drones from Iran.

However, some reports said that the Iranian military has rejected these accusations.

Al Jazeera reported that an Iranian military official told Iranian state media that Tehran had no plans to target the UAE, adding that the missiles and drones involved were not “engaged from Iranian territory”.

Meanwhile, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Gulf Cooperation Council, France, Germany and the United Kingdom have all condemned the suspected Iranian missile and drone attack on the UAE.

The UAE said it will not tolerate any compromise on its sovereignty and reserves the full right to respond in line with international law, according to The Khaleej Times .

South Korea’s foreign ministry has said it will investigate the cause of the fire aboard a South Korean-operated vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.

“The exact cause of the accident would be figured out after the vessel is towed and its damage is assessed,” the ministry was quoted as saying by Reuters.

The fire broke out in the engine room of the bulk carrier. No casualties were reported among the 24 crew members on board.

The ship was anchored near UAE waters when the explosion occurred.

Donald Trump claimed Iran fired on the vessel.

Operator HMM said it was unclear whether it was an external attack or an internal issue.

The United Arab Emirates’ education ministry has directed schools to shift to remote learning for the remainder of the week as a safety precaution following Iran’s attacks.

Drone and missile strikes were reported across the UAE on Monday.

“The current situation will be reassessed on Friday, May 8, 2026, if there is a need to extend the period,” the education ministry added.

Authorities said the strikes included an attack on the key Fujairah energy hub, where three Indians were wounded.

Canada has strongly condemned the reported Iranian missile attack on a UAE oil facility and several vessels.

In a statement, Carney said: “We stand in solidarity with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and the people of the United Arab Emirates and commend defensive efforts to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

“Canada reiterates its call for de-escalation and diplomacy in the region.”

Earlier, the UAE reported multiple attacks from Iran, with its defence ministry saying it intercepted several missiles and drones.

The attack has drawn wider international concern.