President Trump said on Wednesday that he has told the Navy to “shoot down and destroy” any Iranian fast boats that harass American naval ships, in what would be a sharp escalation of the risky maneuvers performed by the two adversaries in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea. The president’s abrupt statement, which he announced on Twitter, came on the morning that Iran successfully launched a military satellite, and a week after the Pentagon accused Iran of sending 11 fast boats to conduct “dangerous and harassing approaches” to six American warships in the Persian Gulf. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed the satellite launch and demanded that the United Nations Security Council hold Iran accountable for the potential violation of international guidelines restricting Tehran’s nuclear-capable missile program. He noted that the government in Tehran had previously claimed that […]