Donald Trump has issued a directive to the United States Navy, instructing it to take lethal action against any Iranian vessels suspected of laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
The directive was announced on Thursday through a post on Truth Social, where Trump outlined his position on ongoing maritime security operations in the region.
According to him, US naval forces are already engaged in mine-clearing efforts in the vital shipping corridor, and he has ordered that such operations be intensified in response to perceived threats.
“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,” Trump said.
In his remarks, Trump also claimed that Iranian naval vessels had already been neutralised, though no independent confirmation of that assertion was immediately available.
The statement comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension between the United States and Iran, particularly over security concerns in the Gulf region. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategically significant waterways, serving as a key route for global oil shipments.
Any escalation in military activity in the area could have far-reaching implications for international trade and regional stability, as both countries continue to adopt increasingly firm positions on maritime security.
