Trump orders US navy to ‘shoot, kill’ mine-laying boats in Strait of Hormuz

WASHINGTON – 23 April 2026: US President Donald Trump said Thursday he had instructed the navy to “shoot and kill” any boats involved in laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions with Iran over the vital waterway.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump also said US minesweeping operations in the strait would be intensified “at a tripled up level” to secure the vital waterway.

Trump stressed that there would be “no hesitation” in targeting any mine-laying boats, claiming that Iran’s naval fleet had already been “at the bottom of the sea.”

 

The move comes as Washington presses Tehran to fully reopen the strait, a key global shipping route that typically carries around 20% of the world’s oil supply.

The US has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to pressure Iran into reaching a deal with the US on ending the war. Meanwhile, Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ gunboats have been shooting at vehicles at the strait.