April 23, (THEWILL) — U.S President Donald Trump has ordered United States forces to carry out immediate lethal action against any vessels suspected of laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, dramatically escalating tensions with Iran and raising fresh fears of a direct military confrontation in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
In a directive issued Thursday via social media, Trump said he had authorised the United States Navy to “shoot and kill” any boats found deploying mines in the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to global shipping routes.
“There is to be no hesitation,” Trump declared, signalling a rules-of-engagement shift that lowers the threshold for direct military engagement in a region already on edge.
At least 17 American naval vessels were positioned earlier in the adjacent Gulf of Oman, placing them within rapid response range.
But as U.S. naval mine countermeasure operations intensify, Trump confirmed that American “mine sweepers” are actively clearing the strait and that such efforts are being scaled up “at a tripled level.”
Iranian officials have simultaneously signalled a hardened posture. Tehran’s lead negotiator disclosed that the country has begun collecting revenue from tolls imposed on vessels transiting the strait—an unprecedented move that challenges long-standing norms of free navigation under international maritime law.
The Strait of Hormuz handles a substantial share of the world’s seaborne crude exports, making it one of the most sensitive geopolitical flashpoints in global trade.
Any disruption (whether through mining, military confrontation, or regulatory restrictions), has immediate and far-reaching implications for energy markets.
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