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Washington — President Trump said Monday that the United States has “literally obliterated” the Iranian regime as the third week of the war is underway and encouraged other nations to help open up the Strait of Hormuz.
In comments ahead of a meeting with the Kennedy Center board of trustees, Mr. Trump provided an update on the ongoing conflict with Iran. The president said the U.S. military has struck more than 7,000 targets across Iran, which he said has seen a 90% reduction in ballistic missile launches and 95% decline in drone attacks.
“Our powerful military campaign to end the threats posed by the Iranian regime continued in full force over the past few days. They have been literally obliterated. The Air Force is gone. The Navy is gone. Many, many ships have been sunk,” Mr. Trump said. “They’re war-fighting ships, but I guess they didn’t know how to use them. Anti-aircraft is decimated. Their radar is gone, and their leaders are gone. Other than that, they’re doing quite well.”
The president also said more than 100 Iranian naval vessels have been “sunk or destroyed,” which includes 30 mine-laying ships.
While Mr. Trump said the Strait of Hormuz is in “very good shape,” he pushed other nations that depend on oil exported through the passage to “come and help us with the Strait.”
“Numerous countries have told me they’re on the way,” the president said, though he did not specify which countries would be assisting the U.S. with ensuring access through the Strait. “Some are very enthusiastic about it, and some aren’t.”
Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, who is an ex officio member of the board, is suing over the planned closure of the center. Over the weekend, a federal judge granted a motion by Beatty to receive information about and participate in the board meeting. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ordered that Beatty “be afforded a meaningful opportunity to lodge her dissent at the meeting and not be categorically barred from speaking.”
After the ruling, Beatty said in a statement, “No president has the authority to shut Congress out of the governance of the Kennedy Center, much less unilaterally rename or demolish it.” She continued, “We will not stand by while an important part of our national heritage is jeopardized” and said she intended to “make that clear” at Monday’s board meeting.
The meeting is taking place as the war with Iran is fueling higher oil prices above $100 a barrel and as the president pressures several other countries to help open the critical Strait of Hormuz. There are plans in place for the U.S. to deploy as many as 5,000 additional forces to the Middle East, CBS News has learned.
Iran claims the U.S.-Israeli strikes so far have killed nearly 1,500 people. Iran’s strikes have killed 14 people in Israel and about 40 more throughout the Middle East. Of those, 13 were U.S. service members.
The Kennedy Center board meeting comes after the president announced Friday that Ric Grenell would step aside from his post as the center’s president, and Matt Floca, who until now has been the center’s vice president of facilities and operations, will be the CEO.
