President Donald Trump ordered the United States Navy to shoot and destroy any vessel, regardless of size, found laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a post on his social media platform.
The directive, issued in response to heightened tensions in the Gulf, targets Iranian-backed groups suspected of deploying naval mines in the strategic waterway, through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
The Strait of Hormuz, bordered by Iran and Oman, remains a flashpoint for maritime security, with past incidents involving mine-laying and vessel seizures prompting repeated U.S. Naval deployments to ensure freedom of navigation.
U.S. Central Command has not publicly confirmed receipt of the order or detailed rules of engagement for naval forces in the region, maintaining standard protocols for responding to threats against commercial and military shipping.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to requests for comment on the statement, and no Iranian officials have publicly addressed the specific allegation of mine-laying activity in the strait.
The Pentagon continues to monitor maritime activity in the Gulf using surveillance aircraft and naval patrols, with no immediate reports of mine-laying incidents detected in the past 72 hours.
Diplomatic channels between Washington and Tehran remain inactive, with no scheduled talks or backchannel communications reported by either government in recent weeks.
