President Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that a South Korean cargo ship was attacked by Iran while sailing independently through the Strait of Hormuz.
At a White House event in Washington, D.C., Trump mentioned that South Korea obtains 43% of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, stating that however, their vessel was attacked. They chose to go alone, not as part of a convoy.
He added that while it provided support yesterday, it did not fire upon the vessels under U.S. military escort.
Reports suggest that while ships under U.S. protection in the Strait of Hormuz remained safe, the South Korean-operated, Panama-flagged vessel HMM Namu, which experienced a fire the previous day, was attacked while sailing independently.
Although the South Korean government maintains that the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire on the Namu remains undetermined, Trump reiterated his assertion that the incident resulted from an Iranian attack.
On Monday, the U.S. launched Project Freedom, a military operation aimed at ensuring safe passage for third-country vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
Later that day, at approximately 8:40 p.m. (Korean time), reports emerged of an explosion followed by a fire on the South Korean ship HMM Namu.
In response, Trump claimed on his social media platform, Truth Social, that Iran had attacked some unrelated countries during vessel movements associated with Project Freedom, including the South Korean cargo ship. He suggested that it seems it’s time for South Korea to join this operation.
When asked about the criteria for determining an Iranian ceasefire violation, Trump replied that it will know soon, adding that they know what they should and shouldn’t do.
He continued that as it knows, they’re using small boats with weak weapons, like pea shooters. They no longer have proper naval vessels.
Trump indicated that while Iran continues to launch attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and towards the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the U.S. is taking defensive measures to ensure safe navigation. He suggested the situation isn’t severe enough to break the ceasefire.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also clarified that Project Freedom is a separate operation and that the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect.
Trump remarked that despite this small military skirmish, the stock market hit an all-time high today. He asserted that Iran has no chance, and they admit this in private conversations, but then boast about their success on television.
The President added that Iran wants an agreement, asking rhetorically, Who wouldn’t want to negotiate when their military is completely weakened? He insisted that Iran must surrender.
Regarding his upcoming talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 14-15, Trump confirmed that the Iran issue would be a topic of discussion, stating he plans to address it separately.
He noted that Xi has shown a very favorable attitude towards this issue. China receives 60% of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, yet they’ve maintained a polite demeanor and haven’t challenged U.S. at all.
Trump urged countries to redirect their ships to U.S. ports in Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, revealing that significant deals are being made with South Korea and Japan.