BREAKING: Trump orders U.S. Navy to destroy Iranian boats laying mines in Strait of Hormuz

International, Middle East

INTERNATIONAL (NPA) — U.S. President Donald Trump has directed the Navy to destroy any Iranian vessels found laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, following Tehran’s closure of the vital waterway.

Trump, in a statement posted on Truth Social, said there should be “no hesitation” in carrying out the order. He added that U.S. mine-sweeping operations are already underway and instructed that the activity be intensified.

“The United States Navy is to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be, 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,” Trump wrote.

In another statement, the U.S. President claimed Iran is struggling with internal divisions. “Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know! The infighting is between the ‘Hardliners,’ who have been losing badly on the battlefield, and the ‘Moderates,’ who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!), is crazy! We have total control over the Strait of Hormuz. 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,” Trump declared.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for global oil and gas shipments, has become the focal point of escalating tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel. Analysts note that control of the strait could ultimately determine the trajectory of the conflict, given its centrality to Iran’s economy and U.S. strategic interests.

Iran’s closure of the strait and Washington’s countermove highlight the high stakes of the confrontation, with both sides seeking to assert dominance over one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.