President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that the United States would use lethal force against any vessel laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating pressure on Iran to reopen the vital shipping route.
“I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat—small boats though they may be—that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “There is to be no hesitation.”
He added that U.S. mine-sweeping operations were already under way to clear the channel.
The warning comes as tensions deepen over Iran’s decision to restrict access to the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of the world’s oil supply passes. Tehran has said it will keep the strait closed to all but a limited number of approved vessels for as long as the United States maintains a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Talks aimed at de-escalating the crisis—hosted in Islamabad—remain stalled, with Iran yet to confirm its participation. The stand-off has already rattled global markets and raised fears of a broader economic shock.
Trump also claimed that Washington had “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz and suggested it would only be fully reopened once Iran agrees to a wider peace deal.
“Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is!” he added.
The latest exchange underscores the fragile state of the ceasefire in the region, with both sides continuing to apply economic and military pressure despite a pause in direct strikes.
