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U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Navy to "shoot and kill" any boat caught laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, instructing that "there is to be no hesitation."
He also ordered minesweeping operations already underway to be tripled, posting the order on Truth Social and claiming that all 159 of Iran's naval ships were "at the bottom of the sea."
"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. There is to be no hesitation," Trump posted the order in full on Truth Social.
"Additionally, our mine 'sweepers' are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled-up level!" he added.
The order comes amid a ceasefire with Iran, which Trump extended indefinitely amid stalled negotiations.
The debate about mines in the Strait of Hormuz is not new.
Trump recently suggested Iran had removed or was removing the mines and that most Iranian "mine droppers" had been destroyed in U.S. strikes.
But Iran has denied placing mines in the waterway, calling the allegations "American propaganda," though Iranian media reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued safe passage maps in the area.
In a separate statement on Truth Social, Trump said, "Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know!"
"The infighting is between the 'Hardliners,' who have been losing badly on the battlefield, and the 'Moderates,' who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!), is crazy!" he said.
"We have total control over the Strait of Hormuz. No ship can enter or leave without the approval of the United States Navy. It is “Sealed up Tight,” until such time as Iran is able to make a deal!!!" Trump wrote.
"Very true!!!" the U.S. president also wrote, quoting Marc A. Thiessen's opinion article titled, "Trump doesn’t need a deal to get what he wants from Iran" on The Washington Post.
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