U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a directive authorising the United States Navy to engage with lethal force any vessels suspected of laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement shared on his verified social media account on Thursday, Trump said there should be “no hesitation” in confronting such boats, regardless of their size.
He stressed that the directive was necessary to safeguard maritime security in one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes.
“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 stated, adding that mine-clearing operations currently underway would be intensified.
The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, handles roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments daily. Any disruption in the narrow waterway often triggers immediate global economic and security concerns.
Trump also claimed that hostile naval forces in the region had already suffered heavy losses, asserting that as many as 159 vessels had been destroyed and were “at the bottom of the sea.” The claim, however, has not been independently verified.
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Tensions in the region remain high, particularly between the United States and Iran. Reports indicate that the strait has yet to return fully to normal operations due to challenges in locating and removing mines allegedly deployed during the standoff.
U.S. officials say Iran lacks the capability to systematically clear the mines and may not have accurate records of their placement. According to them, the mines were initially deployed using small boats amid escalating tensions, alongside threats involving drones and missile strikes.
Iranian authorities, however, maintain that shipping through the strait remains possible, though under what they describe as “technical limitations.” U.S. officials interpret this as a sign of ongoing difficulties in securing and clearing the vital maritime corridor.
Military analysts warn that detecting and removing naval mines is a complex and time-consuming process, raising concerns over prolonged disruption in the strategically important waterway and its potential impact on global oil supply.
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