Trump says ‘big, beautiful armada’ is heading toward Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump said U.S. naval forces are moving toward Iran, expressing hope that Tehran will “make a deal”.

Speaking in Iowa, Trump said that “another big, beautiful armada is now beautifully moving toward Iran,” adding that Iranian leaders should have agreed earlier.

Trump repeated his claim that the United States “destroyed Iran’s nuclear capabilities” in June 2025, saying Tehran would have been just a month away from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He referred to U.S. strikes on nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

Meanwhile, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a phone call that Riyadh would not allow its territory or airspace to be used for attacks against Iran. Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said the kingdom reaffirmed its commitment to respecting Iran’s sovereignty.

According to Flightradar24, a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone and a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft conducted hours-long flights over international waters from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman via the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian drone was also reported to be operating over the Gulf of Oman.