HORMUZ STRIKES: US forces HIT cargo ship attempting to break blockade

JON: TENSIONS FLARING ONCE AGAIN. ACROSS T THE MIDDLE EASTS. U.S. FORCES DISABLED A. COMMERCIAL SHIP IN THE GULF OF. OMAN SAYING IT DEFIED REPEATED. WARNINGS WHILE TRYING TO BREACH. THE NAVAL BLOCKADE. THIS COMES IN THE MIDDLE OF A. POLITICAL SHAKE-UP IN ISRAEL. WHERE BENJAMIN NETANYAHU'S RIVAL. IS MOVING TO FORM A NEW. GOVERNMENT THERE. CHIEF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT TREY. YINGST REPORTS LIVE FROM TEL. AVIV, ISRAEL. TREY. >> Reporter: JON, GOOD.

AFTERNOON. TODAY ISRAELI PRESIDENT I.C.E. TO ACT HERZOG TASKED FORMER IDF. GENERAL GADI EISENKOT WITH. FORMING A COALITION GOVERNMENT. HE'LL HAVE JUST 28 DAYS TO DO SO. AND TRY TO REMOVE BENJAMIN. NETANYAHU FROM POWER. THIS WON'T BE AN EASY TASK AND. WILL REQUIRE EISENKOT WORK WITH. THE TWO ARAB PARTIES HERE IN. ISRAEL. >> I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING. TO BE, BUT I WANT TO GIVE A. BLESSING THAT THERE SHOULD BE A. NEW, A NEW UNDERSTANDING, A NEW. MINDSET IN ISRAEL. NO MATTER WHAT THE GOVERNMENT.

IS, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, THAT. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT. ONE9 ANOTHER, BE ABLE TO RESPECT. ONE ANOTHER, AND THAT SHOULD BE. INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON A NEW. GOVERNMENT, IT SHOULD IF BE A. NEW MENTALITY. >> Reporter: ISRAELI PRIME. MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU. REMAINS IN POWER AT THIS POINT, BUT IF THE WAR WITH IRAN ERUPTS. AGAIN, IT COULD PRESENT A. CHALLENGING SITUATION. THE POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY COMES. AS THE UNITED STATES AND IRAN. REMAIN IN CONFLICT OVER THE. STRAIT OF HORMUZ. THIS WEEKEND MULTIPLE EXPLOSIONS. WERE HEARD IN SOUTHERN IRAN AS. U.S. FORCES CONDUCTED DEFENSIVE. STRIKES WHILE THE IRGC CONTINUED.

ATTACKS IN THIS CRITICAL. WATERWAY. THE OPERATIONS DO COME AS. CENTCOM ANNOUNCED U.S. FORCES. FIRED ON A COMMERCIAL VESSEL IN. THE GULF OF OMAN THAT ATTEMPTED. TO BREACH THE 2345EU68 BLOCKADE, ALSO ANNOUNCING A NEW LAND. BLOCKADE OF IRAN AIMED AT. DISRUPTING IRAN'S ANTIBIOTIC TO. MOVE ADVANCED WEAPONS SYSTEMS. ACROSS LAND BORDERS. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS INDICATED. INDIRECT TALKS WITH IRAN ARE. ONGOING, AIMED AT AVOIDING A. LARGER WAR. >> WE ARE DOING VERY WELL WITH. IRAN. WE'RE TALKING THE IRAN, WE HAVE.

BEEN. WE HAVEN'T LOST A SOLDIER IN. SEVEN MONTHS OR SIX MONTHS. WE HAVE THE HORMUZ STRAIT. OPENING, DOING MORE BUSINESS. THAN THEY'VE EVER DONE WITH OIL. WE ARE TALKING. >> Reporter: THERE IS. CURRENTLY A MASSIVE U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE ACROSS THE. MIDDLE EAST. 50,000 SOLDIERS, DOZENS OF. AIRCRAFT REFUELERS HERE IN. ISRAEL AND A THIRD AIRCRAFT. CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ON THE WAY. JON?

JON: CHIEF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT. TREY YINGST. TREY, THANKS. >> YOU THINK ABOUT THE OPERATION. THAT SCOTT BESSENT HAS RUN, OPERATION ECONOMIC OUTCAST, HAS. PUT THE IRANIAN ECONOMY IN THE. TANK. THEY HAVE NO CURRENCY, THEY HAVE. NO GROWTH. WHAT WE'VE DONE FROM A MILITARY. STANDPOINT, NO AIR FORCE, NO. NAVY, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS MOVED. MORE MILITARY ASSETS IN THE. REGION, AND I THINK IT'S. PERFECTLY, HE'S PERFECTLY. CAPABLE OF BRINGING THIS TO AN. END VERY QUICKLY. JON: SO PRESIDENT TRUMP IS.

KEEPING ALL OF HIS OPTIONS OPEN. AS TALKS WITH IRAN CONTINUE. SOURCES TELL FOX NEWS THE. PRESIDENT MET WITH HIS NATIONAL. SECURITY TEAM ON THURSDAY TO. DISCUSS POTENTIAL MILITARY. OPERATIONS. LET'S BRING IN BRENT SADLER, HERITAGE FOUNDATION SENIOR. RESEARCH FELLOW AND A RETIRED. U.S. NAVY CAPTAIN. SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? THERE'S THIS UNEASY STALEMATE, SORT OF, IN IRAN AS YOU JUST IS. HEARD, IRAN HAS BEEN BATTERED BY. U.S. MILITARY ACTIONS. BUT THEY SEEM TO STILL BE.

HANGING IN THERE. WHERE DO WE GO, BRENT? >> WELL, THE REGIME CONTINUES TO. EXECUTE THOSE THAT WERE IN THE. PROTESTS AND THAT STAND UP FOR. THEIR OWN RIGHTS AND TO TRY TO. CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE. COUNTRY, SO THE REGIME'S NATURE. IS UNCHANGED DESPITE ALL THE. PUNISHMENT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO. RECEIVE IN THE SETBACK ON THEIR. NUCLEAR PROGRAM. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE. GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP A MILITARY. PRESENCE AS NEGOTIATIONS GO. FORWARD AND, OF COURSE, THE. ECONOMIC WARFARE CONTINUES.

WHICH IS NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, BALANCE SHEETS AND BANKERS. IT ACTUALLY HAS A KINETIC ASPECT. TO IT WHICH, AS YOU JUST. MENTIONED EARLIER, SEVERING THE. LAND BRIDGES TO OTHER MARKETS. THAT THE REGIME CONTINUES TO GET. TRADE. AND I THINK THAT ALSO INCLUDES. THE PORTS AND THE MARITIME TRADE. IN THE CASPIAN SEA THAT HAS. LARGELY BEEN UNTOUCHED. JON: THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID. THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL CONTINUE. THE NEGOTIATE WITH IRAN. I THINK HE SAID THAT WE'RE. NEGOTIATING WITH THEM RIGHT NOW. HIS STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN,

TOMMY PIGOTT TO, HAS A LITTLE. BIT MORE ON THAT. LISTEN. >> -- OPEN FOR THE IRANIAN. REGIME TOWARDS NORMALCY AND. PROSPERITY. IF THEYN'T CONTINUE THEIR MALIGN. ACTIVITY, THERE WILL BE. CONSEQUENCES FOR THAT. THE DOOR THE DIPLOMACY'S OPEN, BUT THE PRESIDENT'S GOING TO DO. WHAT'S NECESSARY. JON: IF THEY CONTINUE THEIR. MALIGN ACTIVITIES, AND. APPARENTLY THEY HAVE BEEN. ATTEMPTING SOME THINGS BECAUSE. THE U.S. HAS DROPPED A COUPLE OF. KNEW IN ADDITIONS ON THEM --. MUNITIONS ON THEM BUT NOTHING. LIKE WE SAW SOME MONTHS AGO.

GO AHEAD. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY WE HAVE TO. BE CAREFUL NOT TO REPEAT THE. MISTAKES OF 1999 4 WITH NORTH. KOREA WHEN WE HAD A NUCLEAR. SHOWDOWN WITH THEM.. AND YEARS LATER AFTER ECONOMIC. OUTREACH AND ECONOMIC SANCTIONS, WE HAVE A NUCLEAR-ARMED AND. BURGEONING NUCLEAR WEAPONS STATE. IN NORTH KOREA WE HAVE TO. CONTEND WITH. THE KEY THING IS TO MAKE SURE WE. DON'T REPEAT THE MISTAKES OF. THAT, AND THAT GOES BACK TO THE. STANDOFF IN 1994 IS PROBABLY A. CLOSE ANALOGY. SO IS DIPLOMACY CERTAINLY SHOULD.

GO FORWARD, AND IF WE CAN GET A. DEAL THAT MAKES SENSE, BUT IT'S. CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO NEGATE. THE NEED TO HAVE A VERY ROBUST. MILITARY PRESENCE THERE TO KEEP. AN EYE ON AND TO SET BACK ANY. FUTURE ATTEMPTS BY THE REGIME. THE RESURRECT THEIR NUCLEAR. ENTERPRISE. BUT ALSO AS THEY TRY TO ATTACK. AMERICANS AND AMERICAN INTERESTS. ACROSS THE REGION. THE ASSUMPTION SHOULD BE THAT. UNREFORMED REGIME IS GOING TO BE. AN UNREFORMED THREAT TO. AMERICANS. JON: YOU KNOW BETTER THAN. ANYBODY THAT THERE'S NOTHING. LIKE A MOONLESS NIGHT FOR A. STRIKE ON A POTENTIAL MILITARY.

TARGET, AND AS OF TOMORROW. NIGHT, THE LUNAR ILLUMINATION. OVER IRAQ IS GOING TO BE AT 0%. SAME THING ON TUESDAY NIGHT. THEN IT STARTS TO CLIMB 3, 6 AND. 12%. WOULD YOU EXPECT TO SEE SOME. KIND OF KINETIC ACTION IN THE. NEXT COUPLE OF NIGHTS? IF. >> WELL, THIS TIME FRAME HAS. ALWAYS BEEN KIND OF IN THE. CALCULUS NOW. IT'S SIMPLE MATH. OF COURSE, THE LUNAR NEW MOON IS. OPTIMUM FOR THE WAY AMERICAN WAR. MACHINE OPERATES AT PEAK.

PERFORMANCE AND ADVANTAGE. BUT THE MIX ECONOMIC -- THE. ECONOMIC DAMAGE THAT'S BEEN DONE. ALSO STARTS TO REACH A. CULMINATING POINT RIGHT ABOUT. NOW. THERE'S NO MORE IRANIAN OIL ON. THE MARKET OVERSEAS AND NO MORE. MONEY FLOWING IN WITH THE. ECONOMIC SANCTIONS THAT. SECRETARY BESSENT'S PUTTING ON. THERE. AND THEN THERE'S THE POLITICAL. PRESSURES. WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY INDICATION. YET THAT THE IRANIAN PEOPLE OR. THE REGIME ARE FRACTURING. SO THE TIME FRAME RIGHT NOW FOR. A MILITARY KIND OF PUSH TO SEE. IF THAT CAN BE CRACKED, I THINK,

REACHES ITS MAXIMUM OPPORTUNITY. IN THE COMING DAYS. JON: YEAH. AND THERE IS AN ARMADA OF U.S. WARSHIPS WITHIN STRIKING. DISTANCE OF IRAN. WE HAVE A GRAPHIC OF SOME OF. THEM, AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, USS. GEORGE WASHINGTON AND GEORGE. H.W. BUSH ARE THERE ALONG WITH. THEIR ESCORT SHIPS. THERE IS AN AWFUL LOT OF. FIREPOWER THAT CAN STILL BE. DIRECTED AT IRAN, AND IRAN. DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TO ANSWER BACK. WITH, DO THEY? >> NO. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE.

ENTIRE IRANIAN REGIME OR ITS. MILITARY TO MAKE THE IMPACT. THE KEY THING IS PICKING A TIME. AND AND PLACE OF AMERICA'S. INTERESTS THAT HAS THE BIGGEST. STRATEGIC IMPACT TO FRACTURE AND. HOPEFULLY GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY. FOR THE IRANIAN PEOPLE TO RISE. UP. WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT AND. CERTAINLY HAVEN'T HAD THAT. OPPORTUNITY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. BUT THERE'S ANOTHER AIRCRAFT. CARRIER ON THE WAY. IT JUST CLEARED THE MALACCA. STRAITS AND IS HEADED INTO THE. MIDDLE EAST, IT'S THE TEDDY. ROOSEVELT, AND YOU'VE GOT. ADDITIONAL MARINES COMING IN. FROM MACON ISLAND AMPHIBIOUS.

READY GROUP, A LITTLE FURTHER. AWAY. YOU DO HAVE MARINES THERE TOO. WHICH THEIR EXPERTISE IS FORCED. ENTRANCE, YOU KNOW, SMALL RAIDS. TO AMPHIBIOUS INVASIONS GIVES. THE PRESIDENT A LOT OF OPTIONS. AND I THINK THAT STILL AVOIDS. THE E BOOTS ON THE GROUND WHICH. IS, I STILL THINK, UNNECESSARY. TO GET THE TYPE OF STRATEGIC. EFFECT THAT IS IN AMERICA'S BEST. INTERESTS FOR AN ENDURING, LONG-TERM PEACE AND SAFETY. JON: YEAH. LET'S HOPE WE CAN ACHIEVE TH.