President Donald Trump is making it very clear how he feels about protecting American interests. And when it comes to protecting the US military, he is just as blunt.

“I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea,” Trump wrote on Twitter.

I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2020

The president’s comments are a response to recent actions taken by hostile Iranian forces in international waters. The Official Navy Forces Central Command of the U.S. 5th fleet reported that Iran was engaged with “dangerous & harassing approaches on U.S. naval vessels in the international waters of the North Arabian Gulf.”

Video of #IRGCN vessels conducting dangerous & harassing approaches on U.S. naval vessels in the international waters of the North Arabian Gulf. pic.twitter.com/zL9VKQ0eiQ

— U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) April 15, 2020

According to a Breitbart News report, Iran acknowledged their actions but accused the United States for “unprofessional and provocative actions” without offering any evidence.

#ICYMI: Iranian #IRGCN vessels with weapons manned harassed #USSLewisBPuller (ESB 3) while operating in international waters in the North Arabian Gulf. U.S. crews took actions deemed appropriate to avoid a collision.

Learn more about the #USNavy's ESB: https://t.co/nhstyAIAOW pic.twitter.com/NBv13TRCSG

— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) April 16, 2020

A few days before, armed Iranian gunships harassed a Navy ship, the USS Lewis B. Puller, in international waters off the North Arabian Gulf.

(3/3) Initial assessments indicate #IRGCN vessels' closest points of
approach were 50 yards from #USSLewisBPuller & 10 yards from @USCG #Maui. There were no injuries during the interaction.https://t.co/44iPiTuS0I pic.twitter.com/JAlk5N1i3P

— U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) April 15, 2020

According to Fox News, The Navy said that “the Iranian’s dangerous and provocative actions ‘increased the risk of miscalculation and collision’ and were in violation of international maritime ‘rules of the road.’ The Navy also said they were not in accordance with international law to act safely with other vessels in the area.”

Fox News also reported Trump’s words were meant to prevent a “sneak attack.”

Sources told Fox News earlier this month that the U.S. believes Iranian-backed proxies were planning the sneak attack, and that Trump’s tweet was a warning to the Iranian leadership to tell their proxies to back down or face consequences.

Since early March, The U.S. Army, Marines Coast Guard, Marines and Navy have been conducting joint interoperability operations in the North Arabian Gulf.