‘Only stupid countries don’t shoot back’, says Rubio after clash in strait

US secretary of state Marco Rubio has said “only stupid countries don’t shoot back when you’re shot at” after three destroyers were attacked by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz .

Meanwhile, the US military has said it has fired on two more Iran-flagged oil tankers trying to breaks its blockade, having disabled another vessel earlier in the week.

The United Arab Emirates , which hosts American forces, has also come under renewed attack from Iran.

The latest strikes put further strain on the fragile ceasefire, amid moves to end the Middle East war.

Tehran is currently considering a US proposal, which would formally halt the conflict and open the way to negotiations on key sticking points including Iran’s nuclear programme.

The US said on Thursday it had thwarted attacks on three warships and targeted Iranian military sites in retaliation.

Speaking at the end of a two-day visit to Rome, Mr Rubio said: “Only stupid countries don’t shoot back when you’re shot at.

And we’re not a stupid country.”
Following the confrontation, Mr Trump said: “They trifled with us today.

We blew them away.”
He added: “If there’s no ceasefire, you’re not going to have to know.

“You’re just going to have to look at one big glow coming out of Iran – and they better sign their agreement fast.

“But they have to understand if it doesn’t get signed, they’re going to have a lot of pain.”
But criticising the US action on X, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said: “Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the US opts for a reckless military adventure.”
He added: “Iranians never bow to pressure.”
The recent clash underlines how the Strait of Hormuz has become a flashpoint in the conflict.

The sea channel, which is a major supply line for oil and gas, had been open prior to the US and Israel launching strikes against Iran at the end of February.

In retaliation, Tehran effectively closed the shipping lane, sparking a global energy crisis that has seen prices rocket.

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This led the US to impose its own blockade of Iranian ports, leading to a stand-off.

Concerns over future freedom of navigation through the waterway have been further fuelled after Iran has set up an agency to approve and tax vessels seeking to use it, according to a UK-headquartered shipping data firm, Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

Responding to this development, Mr Rubio said: “That would be very problem.

That would actually be unacceptable.”
He added: “The world has to start asking itself, what is it willing to do if Iran tries to normalise a control of an international waterway?

“Because if you normalise that, you’ve set a precedent that’s going to get repeated in a dozen other places.

“And if the answer is no we don’t want to normalise it, then you’d better have something more than just strongly worded statements to back it up.”
The UK and France have said they would lead a coalition aimed at safeguarding the strait once the conflict was over, but have refused to be drawn directly into the offensive against Iran.

Mr Rubio also levelled further criticism at Nato saying one of the main advantages of the alliance to the US was to have forces in Europe that could then be deployed where needed.

Singling out Spain, which denied the US use of its bases, he added: “Now that’s no longer the case, at least when it comes to some Nato members, that’s a problem and has to be examined.”