‘Awesome’: Connecticut’s Chris Murphy Cheers Disputed Report That Iranian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Breached US Blockade

Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.) responded to a disputed report claiming that 26 Iranian "shadow fleet" vessels had breached the United States' naval blockade by calling the news "awesome." After intense criticism, Murphy said he was being sarcastic.

The senator’s original tweet, which garnered 2 million views, linked to a post from Tehran-tied analyst Ali Vaez claiming that more than two dozen "Iranian shadow fleet vessels" had bypassed the U.S. blockade in the Persian Gulf. Vaez based his claim on a Monday report from the shipping journal Lloyd's List, which said it detected "a steady flow of shadow fleet traffic" that included at least 10 vessels and 11 Iranian tankers.

"awesome," replied Murphy.

After critics like Republican senator and former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy of Montana accused Murphy of "publicly rooting for Iran," the Connecticut Democrat said his "tweet was something called 'sarcasm.'"

"Ok Twitter, I can’t believe I need to clarify this but obviously Trump’s bungled mismanagement of this war is not ‘awesome,’" Murphy wrote Tuesday morning. He went on to boost a post from former congressman Adam Kinzinger accusing Murphy's critics of "pretending to be outraged about [a] clearly sarcastic tweet, and ignoring the fact that Iranian ships are blowing past the US 'blockade.'" "Correct (no sarcasm)," Murphy responded.

Reports of Iran's success in bypassing the blockade, however, are disputed. Fox News reported Tuesday morning that there is "no evidence" that "26 vessels from Iran's shadow fleet were able to make it past the U.S. blockade."

"So that was just Iranian propaganda?" host Lawrence Jones asked foreign correspondent Trey Yingst. "Yes, absolutely," Yingst responded. "The shadow fleet is a very serious problem. It is not getting past the U.S. blockade, according to all reports and information that we have from the region."

U.S. Central Command said Tuesday that U.S. forces "have directed 28 vessels to turn around or return to port" since the start of the blockade. U.S. forces also boarded an Iranian cargo ship on Sunday after it attempted to breach the blockade. The Iran-flagged vessel known as Touska ignored multiple American warnings to turn back, prompting the guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance to open fire on its engine room. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit then boarded the vessel, "which remains in U.S. custody," CENTCOM said.

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