Trump Orders Navy to ‘Shoot and Kill’ Any Boat Planting Mines in the Strait of Hormuz

screenshot

President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that he ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill” any boat planting mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

The narrow waterway has continued to be a point of great contention as the Trump administration tries to reach a peace agreement to end the war with Iran.

Since the war began, Iran has controlled the strait and greatly reduced the passage of oil tankers, resulting in spiking energy prices across the globe.

Last week, the president announced that Iran agreed to reopen the strait. He also claimed that the country agreed to all of his peace terms, including the promise to give up uranium enrichment.

Iran’s leadership denied agreeing to those terms and declared that the strait would instead remain closed in response to Trump’s alleged dishonesty.

In a Truth Social post on Thursday morning, Trump said that any Iranian boats planting mines in the strait to ensure its continued closure would be destroyed:

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. Additionally, our mine “sweepers” are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP

Screenshot

A Washington Post report from Wednesday indicated that it could take up to six months to clear the waterway of mines.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!