Trump orders Navy to shoot and kill boats laying mines in Hormuz Strait

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he has ordered the U.S. Navy “to shoot and kill any boat” that is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

“There is to be no hesitation,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

The president added that he is ordering U.S. minesweepers to continue clearing the strait “at a tripled up level!”

These statements show rising tensions between the United States and Iran over the important oil route. The strait has been badly affected since the conflict began in late February.

Trump has been pushing Iran to reopen the route as part of a fragile ceasefire, which was due to end this week but was extended by him.

The United States has also placed a naval blockade on Iranian ports in the region. This move is aimed at pressuring Iran to ease control of the waterway and return to negotiations.

At the same time, Trump said the U.S. has full control over the situation.

“We have total control over the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote in another post.

“No ship can enter or leave without the approval of the United States Navy. It is ‘Sealed up Tight,’ until such time as Iran is able to make a DEAL!!!”

According to United States Central Command, 31 ships have already been told to turn back or return to port as part of the blockade.

Ship traffic in the strait has dropped sharply. Normally, about 20% of the world’s oil passes through this route, with more than 100 ships using it daily during peaceful times. Now, only a few ships are passing each day.

Data shows that at least eight ships, including three oil tankers, passed through the strait on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is not possible as long as the U.S. blockade continues.

The situation remains tense, with global concerns rising over oil supply and regional stability.