Trump orders U.S. mine sweepers to 'triple' operations in Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that he had ordered an increase in U.S. minesweeper activities in the Strait of Hormuz and that the U.S. Navy would immediately fire on any ship that planted new mines in the critical waterway.

"I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz," Trump posted on Truth Social. "There is to be no hesitation. Additionally, our mine 'sweepers' are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!"

Trump has repeatedly boasted of destroying the Iranian Navy, though Tehran has still managed to intercept boats in the Strait of Hormuz through the use of smaller vessels.

The order came the same day that Trump vowed to maintain the blockade amid an internal squabble within Iran between what Trump called the "hardliner" and "moderate" factions. Trump suggested that those internal divisions were undermining Iran's ability to make an agreement to end the war.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.