President Donald Trump said Sunday that U.S. forces have sunk nine Iranian naval vessels and “largely destroyed” Iran’s naval headquarters as part of Operation Epic Fury, the ongoing joint military campaign with Israel.
“I have just been informed that we have destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships, some of them relatively large and important,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “We are going after the rest — They will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea, also!”
“In a different attack, we largely destroyed their Naval Headquarters,” he added. “Other than that, their Navy is doing very well!”
The reported strikes come as tensions escalate across the region. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed responsibility for attacks on commercial tankers and vessels since the U.S.-Israel campaign began.
The conflict has heightened concerns about the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil passes each year. Shipping traffic through the strait has reportedly declined sharply, and Iranian vessels have broadcast warnings to commercial ships that the waterway was closed. Trump has downplayed fears about disruptions to global energy supplies.
United States Central Command said Sunday that three American service members have been killed and five seriously injured during the operation. Additional details about the casualties have not yet been released.
Operation Epic Fury began Saturday morning local time in Iran and targets what U.S. officials describe as Iranian military infrastructure and missile capabilities. Trump has said that at least 48 senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have been killed, though Iranian authorities have not confirmed those claims.
Sen. Lindsey Graham said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the goal of the operation is to reduce the threat posed by Iran, not to pursue regime change. Sen. Tom Cotton said there are no plans for a large-scale U.S. ground force inside Iran.
In an interview with The Atlantic, Trump said he “agreed to talk” with Iran’s new leadership, suggesting diplomacy remains possible even as military operations continue.