General: Iran's ship seizures show U.S. winning

The seizure Friday by Iran's Revolutionary Guard of two oil tankers reflects the Islamic regime's desperation in the face of an effective U.S. strategy of political and economic isolation, contends retired U.S. Army Gen. Jack Keane.

Keane, a Fox News analyst, was asked to respond to a comment that President Trump didn't seem to be very "agitated" about the seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker and another tanker operated by Britain when he spoke to reporters Friday.

The president and his administration, Keane said, are "very much aware that they are playing a winning hand."

"Their strategic campaign to isolate Iran politically and economically is working beyond expectations," he said.

"And it's the best thing I've seen in 39 years of any administration pushing against Iran."

Keane, who retired as a four-star general, added that "the truth is" that most previous administrations did not pressure the mullah-led regime.

The Revolutionary Guard Corps announced its navy captured the British-flagged tanker Stena Impero in the Strait of Hormuz. Later, according to U.S. officials, it seized the Liberian-flagged MV Mesdar.

Keane said he's never seen Iran "as inept as they are," repeatedly making mistakes as they try "to create a crisis environment so that pressure will be put on the Trump administration to back off the sanctions."

He noted that Iran has "a long playbook" and "will continue the provocations.

But the Trump administration, he reiterated, is "very much aware that what they are doing is working."

He emphasized that it's a non-military response.

"If they have to respond militarily, it will be measured and it will be limited," he said. "They will not walk up the ladder of escalation that will lead to a potential conflict. That's a losing hand, and they are certainly very much aware of it."

Keane said Iran's leaders are "back on their heels, so much so that it's affecting their judgment."

Michael Singh, managing director of the Washington Institute, later noted to Fox News that Iran has been trying to pressure the Europeans to break with Washington regarding the sanction policy.

The seizure of the British-owned and the British-operated tankers could derail that effort, he said.