Iran threatens to sink US ships patrolling the Strait of Hormuz during military blockade
An Iranian military adviser reportedly threatened that Tehran could sink U.S. ships in the Strait of Hormuz during an ongoing blockade of Iranian ports. U.S. Central Command said at least 10 vessels have been redirected since the blockade went into effect on Monday.
Chinese foreign minister says international community demands reopening of Strait of Hormuz
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, that there was a unanimous demand from the international community to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Wang Yi told Iran's Araghchi in a phone call that Iran's sovereignty, security and legitimate rights should be respected as a littoral state of the Strait of Hormuz, but that freedom of navigation and safety through the strait was needed.
"Working to resume normal passage of the strait is a unanimous call from the international community," Wang said on the call, according to a government statement on Wednesday.
Wang also stressed that the current situation had reached a critical juncture between war and peace, adding that the window of peace was opening.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Pentagon to hold briefing at 8 a.m. ET on Operation Epic Fury
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine will hold a briefing at 8 a.m. ET at the Pentagon as President Donald Trump's blockade on Iranian ports is in full effect.
IDF uncovers more than 130 Hezbollah weapons in school in southern Lebanon
The Israel Defense Forces said it uncovered more than 130 weapons belonging to the terrorist group Hezbollah inside a school in southern Lebanon.
The firearms found in the area of Bint Jbeil included “Kalashnikov rifles, pistols, and additional weapons,” it said.
“Alongside the weapons, the troops also found Hezbollah flags and other terrorist organization insignia. The forces confiscated the weapons and continued operations to search the area and clear it of terrorists,” the IDF added.
Hezbollah is aligned with Iran, and Israel has been targeting the terrorist group since the beginning of Operation Roaring Lion.
“The Hezbollah terrorist organization systematically exploits the civilian population in Lebanon in order to carry out terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops,” the IDF also said.
Fox News' Yonat Friling contributed to this report.
US Marines conduct live hoist training on USS Tripoli during Iranian port blockade
U.S. Central Command released a new photo Thursday showing Marines conducting “live hoist training” on the flight deck of the USS Tripoli, one of the American ships operating in the Middle East in support of Operation Epic Fury.
“Tripoli and its 3,500 Sailors and embarked Marines are executing the mission to blockade ships entering and departing Iranian ports,” CENTCOM said.
CENTCOM also said Wednesday, “After implementing the blockade on ships entering and departing Iranian ports, American forces halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea.”
“U.S. Sailors, Marines, and Airmen remain positioned and ready to act against any vessels seeking to violate the blockade,” it said.
Iran threatens to sink American ships in Strait of Hormuz during military blockade: report
An Iranian military adviser threatened that Tehran could sink U.S. ships in the Strait of Hormuz during an ongoing blockade of Iranian ports.
Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claimed on state TV Wednesday that President Donald Trump wants to be the “police” of the key waterway, according to the AFP.
“Is this really your job? Is this the job of a powerful army like the US?” Rezaei reportedly said. “These ships of yours will be sunk by our first missiles and have created a great danger for the U.S. military. They can definitely be exposed to our missiles and we can destroy them.”
Rezaei also remarked that it would be “great” if U.S. forces launched a ground invasion of Iran, claiming Tehran “would take thousands of hostages and for each hostage we would get a billion dollars,” reports said.
U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday that “Ten vessels have now been turned around and ZERO ships have broken through since the start of the U.S. blockade on Monday.”
“After implementing the blockade on ships entering and departing Iranian ports, American forces halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea,” it added.
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