US President Donald Trump on Thursday issued a stark warning over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, saying he had ordered the US Navy to “shoot and kill” any vessels attempting to lay mines in the crucial shipping lane.
"I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. There is to be no hesitation. Additionally, our mine “sweepers” are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP," he said in a post on Truth Social.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said there should be “no hesitation” in targeting even small boats suspected of mining activity. He added that US mine-sweeping operations were already underway in the strait and would now be intensified “at a tripled up level.”
The comments came amid rapidly escalating tensions in the Gulf, where Iran has moved to tighten control over the waterway. Iranian forces reportedly seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the fragility of maritime security in a passage that once carried roughly a fifth of global oil trade.
The situation has been further complicated by confusion over a tentative ceasefire. Trump had earlier suggested the US would indefinitely pause attacks while exploring an Iranian proposal for peace talks to end the two-month-long conflict. However, Iranian officials have not confirmed any agreement to extend the truce.
"I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. There is to be no hesitation. Additionally, our mine “sweepers” are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP," he said in a post on Truth Social.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said there should be “no hesitation” in targeting even small boats suspected of mining activity. He added that US mine-sweeping operations were already underway in the strait and would now be intensified “at a tripled up level.”
The comments came amid rapidly escalating tensions in the Gulf, where Iran has moved to tighten control over the waterway. Iranian forces reportedly seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the fragility of maritime security in a passage that once carried roughly a fifth of global oil trade.
The situation has been further complicated by confusion over a tentative ceasefire. Trump had earlier suggested the US would indefinitely pause attacks while exploring an Iranian proposal for peace talks to end the two-month-long conflict. However, Iranian officials have not confirmed any agreement to extend the truce.
