Trump orders strike on Iran mine vessels

Apr 24, 2026, 08:26 am

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Donald Trump looks on during a meeting with Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 23. / AFP-Yonhap

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the sinking of vessels laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions with Iran and reinforcing a sweeping maritime blockade.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on April 23, Trump said, “I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and sink any and all Iranian vessels laying mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” adding, “There is to be no hesitation.”

He also declared that the U.S. has “complete control” over the strategic waterway, warning that no ship would be allowed to pass without approval from the U.S. Navy. “The Strait will be ‘sealed up tight’ until Iran makes a deal,” he said.

The U.S. military has also expanded its operations beyond the Strait. The Pentagon confirmed that forces conducted a maritime interdiction operation in the Indian Ocean, boarding and inspecting the Iranian oil tanker Majestic X, which had previously been sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude.

According to reports, U.S. forces are also redirecting Iranian-flagged tankers near India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, broadening the scope of the blockade.

The Pentagon stressed that sanctioned actors cannot use international waters as a shield, vowing continued efforts to restrict illegal maritime activities.

However, analysts warn the strategy may backfire. CNN reported that expanding interdiction efforts is unlikely to bring Iran to the negotiating table and could instead harden Tehran’s stance.

Trump downplayed nuclear escalation concerns, stating at a White House event that he has no intention of using nuclear weapons. “Why would I use nuclear weapons when we’ve already devastated them with conventional means?” he said.

He added, “I have all the time in the world. Iran does not. Time is not on their side,” emphasizing that any agreement must benefit the U.S., its allies, and the global community.

Iranian leaders responded by calling for national unity. Mojtaba Khamenei said the country’s internal cohesion has created “cracks within the enemy,” warning against foreign psychological warfare.

President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X that “there are no hardliners or moderates in Iran—we are all revolutionaries,” while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said battlefield actions and diplomacy are “two coordinated fronts in a single war.”

The latest escalation suggests that prospects for negotiations remain stalled, with both sides hardening their positions amid rising regional tensions.

#Donald Trump #Iran #Strait of Hormuz #naval blockade #US Navy