WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump declared that he ordered American Navy to immediately “destroy on sight” any small vessel suspected of laying mines in strategic Strait of Hormuz, warning that no hesitation will be tolerated in carrying out the directive.
Trump escalated tensions, saying 159 Iranian naval vessels have already been destroyed and insisted and that U.S. mine-sweeping operations are actively underway in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.
He also announced that he has ordered a threefold increase in the scale of ongoing naval operations in the region.
After recent Pentagon disclosures, the situation in and around Strait of Hormuz has taken a sharp turn into open confrontation.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) reports that since the alleged blockade began, 31 vessels have been forced to turn back or return to port. The operation reportedly involves an enormous force: 10,000 military personnel, over 100 aircraft, and 17 warships deployed across the region.
On Sunday, US forces intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Tosca, accusing it of ignoring stop warnings—an act Iran has condemned as “armed piracy.” American forces conducted a boarding operation on a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indo-Pacific, alleging it was providing material support to Iran.
On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt stated that President Trump is “satisfied” with the ongoing blockade, claiming it is “completely strangling Iran’s economy.”
CENTCOM has also strongly denied media reports suggesting that several Iran-linked ships have successfully evaded the blockade.
With escalating naval deployments, aggressive interception operations, and direct presidential orders authorizing lethal force against suspected mine-laying vessels, the Strait of Hormuz has effectively become a high-tension military flashpoint, with fears of rapid escalation dominating international attention.
Both Washington’s sweeping military posture and Iran’s accusations of “piracy” are fueling concerns that the confrontation at sea could expand far beyond containment operations.
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