US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he has ordered the United States Navy to “shoot and kill” any boats found laying mines in the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, marking a sharp escalation in maritime tensions linked to Iran.
The statement comes after the US Department of Defense said its forces boarded a “sanctioned stateless vessel,” M/T Majestic X, in the Indian Ocean overnight.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said there should be “no hesitation” in targeting even small vessels involved in mining operations, adding that US mine-sweeping units were actively clearing the strait.
The directive comes amid an intensifying US naval campaign aimed at disrupting Iran-linked maritime networks.
The US Department of Defense said its forces boarded a “sanctioned stateless vessel,” M/T Majestic X, in the Indian Ocean overnight, alleging it was carrying Iranian oil. The Pentagon reiterated that international waters would not serve as a “refuge for sanctioned vessels.”
Earlier this week, US forces also boarded another tanker, M/T Tifani, accused of transporting Iranian oil.
Officials said such interdictions are part of broader efforts to curb illicit shipments supporting Tehran.
According to the United States Central Command, the ongoing operation has involved directing 31 vessels to return to port since the blockade began. The deployment includes around 10,000 personnel, more than 100 aircraft, and 17 warships.
The US also claimed to have intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska after it allegedly failed to comply with orders to stop—an action Iran condemned as “armed piracy.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was “satisfied” with the operation, describing it as significantly constraining Iran’s economy. Meanwhile, CENTCOM denied reports that multiple Iranian-linked vessels had breached the blockade.
US forces, in recent days, have increasingly carried out interdictions in open waters, particularly in the Indian Ocean.
