President Donald Trump has ordered the US Navy to shoot at any Iranian boats that lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, UNN reports with reference to CNN.
I have ordered the US Navy to shoot and destroy any boat, no matter how small (their naval vessels ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that lays mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. There should be no hesitation
At the same time, Trump stated that the United States is working on demining the strait.
In addition, our mine "sweepers" are now clearing the strait. With this, I order to continue this activity, but at a tripled pace
Recall
The publication notes that last month Trump similarly stated that the American military would attack any ships that lay mines. This issue has again come into focus as Trump discusses how to move shipping through the strait amid growing global economic pressure.
Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have repeatedly stated that Iran's naval forces, estimated at about 150 ships, have been destroyed. But CNN previously reported that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) retains assets such as small boats.