Trump orders military to shoot to kill Iranian small boats

President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the U.S. military to “shoot to kill” small Iranian boats laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. This announcement follows a recent demonstration by Iran showcasing its ability to disrupt traffic in this passage.

Trump made this announcement on social media shortly after the U.S. military seized another tanker involved in the smuggling of Iranian oil, escalating tensions with Tehran over the strait through which 20% of global crude oil and natural gas transit.

“I have ordered the U.S. Navy to shoot to kill any boat, no matter how small, laying mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” the U.S. president wrote, adding that American minesweepers “are currently cleaning the strait.”

“I hereby order this operation to continue, but at a triple level!” he added.

Trump also announced the extension of the ceasefire in Lebanon by three weeks.

The decision to extend the truce between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon was made during a meeting at the White House between the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon to the United States.

Meanwhile, it was still unclear when or even if the U.S. and Iran would meet again in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, where mediators are trying to bring the countries closer to a diplomatic agreement.

Planned negotiations for this week did not take place. Iran insists it will not participate until the U.S. lifts its blockade on Iranian ports and ships. Washington, on the other hand, insists that Iran reopens the strait to international traffic before resuming negotiations.

Upon his return from a trip to Africa, Pope Leone XIV urged the U.S. and Iran to resume talks to end the war.

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CONTEXT: President Trump’s orders to the U.S. military regarding Iranian boats come in the midst of rising tensions in the region. FACT CHECK: The extension of the ceasefire in Lebanon and the stalled negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad are key diplomatic points in the ongoing conflict.

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The Defense Ministry released a video on Thursday showing American forces on the deck of the Majestic X tanker, flying the Guinean flag, which was seized in the Indian Ocean.

These images were shared following an attack by the Iranian paramilitary group, the Revolutionary Guards, on three ships in the strait, with two of them captured. This incident raised concerns about navigation security in the waterway.

Iran’s powerful head of the judiciary, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, stated that three “non-compliant vessels” in the strait faced “coercive measures.”

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CONTEXT: The mention of the Majestic X tanker and its past issues with the U.S. Treasury Department adds background to the recent seizure. FACT CHECK: Reports of tensions along the Strait of Hormuz highlight the precarious situation in the region.

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Trump hinted at a fracture within the Iranian leadership this week. He extended the ceasefire to allow Iranian leaders more time to develop a “unified proposal” to end the war while maintaining the American blockade on Iranian ports.

In another message on Thursday, he claimed that a rift within the leadership between moderates and hardliners was causing confusion in Iran.

Speaking at the White House, Trump avoided questions about the conflict exceeding the four to six-week deadline set by him and his advisers. He emphasized the military strength of the U.S. in the region.

The U.S. military now has three aircraft carriers in the region, with the USS George H.W. Bush arriving in the Indian Ocean, positioning one carrier in the Sea of Oman and another in the Red Sea.

Trump clarified that he would not use nuclear weapons against Iran.

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CONTEXT: President Trump’s statements on the fractured Iranian leadership shed light on the internal dynamics within Iran. FACT CHECK: The presence of multiple aircraft carriers in the region indicates the preparedness of the U.S. military for potential escalation.