Iran lays new Mines in Hormuz, Trump Orders US Navy to ‘Shoot on Sight’: Report
By MONEYCONTROL NEWS
The development signals a sharp escalation in the standoff over the vital oil transit route, where Iran has been accused of mining waters and targeting commercial shipping
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy has deployed additional naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz this week, according to US officials and sources familiar with the matter, as reported by Axios.
The development signals a sharp escalation in the standoff over the vital oil transit route, where Iran has been accused of mining waters and targeting commercial shipping, while the United States has tightened its naval blockade, the report said.
Following briefings on the latest activity, US President Donald Trump directed the US Navy to “shoot and kill” any Iranian vessels found laying mines, underscoring the increasingly aggressive posture, according to the report.
Trump, during a press briefing on April 23, said if the Iranians are laying mines in Hormuz, it is going to affect them much more than the US.
Trump:
Mines are going to affect Iran much more than they are going to affect us.
We don’t know if they are doing that, but they could be. pic.twitter.com/49SfShYvZC
— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 23, 2026
Roughly a fifth of global seaborne oil normally passes through the strait, but traffic has plunged dramatically amid the crisis. The International Energy Agency has warned the disruption could surpass even the oil shocks of the 1970s.
This marks the second reported instance of Iran mining the waterway since the conflict began, with uncertainty over whether earlier mines have been fully cleared. US officials said the military is closely monitoring the situation, though exact figures on newly deployed mines were not disclosed.
