Trump threatened Iran with unprecedented military consequences over mining the Strait of Hormuz
Kyiv • UNN
The US President warned Iran of a military response if mines are laid in the Strait of Hormuz. Intelligence has already recorded the beginning of the mining of the route.
US President Donald Trump said he had no reports that Iran was planting explosive mines in this strategically important waterway. At the same time, he threatened unprecedented consequences if "the mines were still planted and not removed," UNN reports.
If Iran has planted any mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and we have no reports of this, we demand their immediate neutralization! If for some reason the mines were planted and are not immediately neutralized, the military consequences for Iran will reach an unprecedented level. If, on the other hand, they neutralize what might have been planted, that will be a huge step in the right direction!
AP notes that mines could make it impossible for tankers to pass through the strait, which could lead to higher oil and natural gas prices. Trump is sensitive to rising energy prices as a domestic political issue, as his economic argument to voters is based on keeping gasoline prices low.
The publication reminds that a fifth of the world's oil supplies pass through the strait, which is about 33 kilometers (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point.
Recall
CBS News journalist Jennifer Jacobs reported that, according to US intelligence, Iran has begun mining the Strait of Hormuz, using small vessels that can carry 2-3 mines each.