U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that American military strikes had sunk nine Iranian naval vessels and severely damaged Iran’s naval headquarters, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote: “I have just been informed that we have destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships, some of them relatively large and important. 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. Other than that, their Navy is doing very well!”
The president did not immediately provide details about the location of the strikes, the types of vessels involved, or whether there were casualties. The U.S. Department of Defense had not issued a formal statement at the time of his post.
If confirmed, the sinking of nine vessels would represent one of the most significant single losses for the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy in recent years. Iran maintains two main maritime forces: its regular navy and the naval arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which plays a central role in operations in the Persian Gulf.
Iran’s naval fleet includes frigates, corvettes, missile boats, and numerous smaller fast-attack craft used for patrol and asymmetric warfare tactics. Smaller, high-speed vessels are often deployed in swarms and are considered a key component of Iran’s strategy in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
It remains unclear whether the reportedly sunk ships belonged to the regular navy or the IRGC’s naval forces, or whether they were engaged in active operations at the time of the strikes.
Trump also claimed that U.S. forces had “largely destroyed” Iran’s naval headquarters in a separate strike. While he did not specify the location, Iran’s main naval command infrastructure is spread across several coastal cities, including Bandar Abbas along the southern coast.
A successful strike on a naval command facility could disrupt communications, coordination, and operational planning, potentially limiting Iran’s ability to respond at sea in the immediate term.
The remarks come amid heightened conflict between the United States and Iran, particularly in the Gulf region, where past confrontations have included drone shootdowns, tanker incidents, and close encounters between naval vessels.
Neither Iranian officials nor independent observers had immediately confirmed the reported losses. In past confrontations, both Washington and Tehran have offered differing accounts of military engagements.