Trump Threatens Iranian Boats He Says Are Mining the Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he had ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill any boat” that is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as the Pentagon announced that U.S. forces had boarded another sanctioned tanker that was carrying oil from Iran.

A day earlier, Iranian forces claimed to have seized two cargo ships near the strait, a vital conduit for oil and gas. The United States and Iran are each trying to exert authority over shipping during a ceasefire, with little public indication that either is intent on restarting peace talks.

“There is to be no hesitation,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that U.S. minesweepers were “clearing the Strait right now.” It has not been confirmed whether Iranian boats are mining the strait.

The post took a more aggressive tone than previous comments from the White House, which said Wednesday that the president did not view Iran’s reported ship seizures as a violation of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire that he extended this week.

The tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have injected fresh fear into energy markets, with oil trading above $100 a barrel again Thursday.

Energy prices have risen sharply since the United States and Israel began the war on Iran in late February and Iran responded by effectively blocking shipping through the strait. The United States has countered with a naval blockade that has prevented dozens of ships from leaving or accessing Iranian ports.

The U.S. Navy has also targeted Iran-linked ships elsewhere in the world. On Thursday, the Pentagon said U.S. forces had stopped and boarded the M/T Majestic X, a sanctioned tanker carrying oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean, in an effort to squeeze Iran’s oil economy. Earlier this week, Navy SEALs boarded another ship in the Indian Ocean, the M/T Tifani, the Pentagon said.

Here’s What Else We Are Covering:

— Israel-Lebanon ceasefire: A second round of ambassador-level talks between the two countries was scheduled for Thursday in Washington. A 10-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militia, is set to expire Sunday.

— Tankers: Greece’s foreign minister said Thursday that the Epaminondas, one of the tankers that Iran said it had seized the previous day, was now anchored with no Iranians on board, although he did not specify its location.

— Strait of Hormuz: A summit aimed at reopening the strait reconvened in London on Thursday with military planners from over 30 countries.

— Persian Gulf: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine on Thursday made public details of security agreements that he signed with three Middle Eastern countries, as they bolster their defenses against Iranian drones and missiles.

—

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Luke Broadwater and Eric Schmitt/Arash Khamooshi
c. 2026 The New York Times Company

The post Trump Threatens Iranian Boats He Says Are Mining the Strait of Hormuz appeared first on GV Wire.