THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump’s latest threats came after the Pentagon said the U.S. military had boarded a second tanker carrying oil from Iran. Both sides are trying to exert authority over shipping amid uncertainty over the status of peace talks.
President Trump said on Thursday that he had ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill any boat” that is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as the Pentagon announced that U.S. forces had boarded another sanctioned tanker that was carrying oil from Iran.
A day earlier, Iranian forces claimed to have seized two cargo ships near the strait, a vital conduit for oil and gas. The United States and Iran are each trying to exert authority over shipping during a cease-fire, with little public indication that either is intent on restarting peace talks.
“There is to be no hesitation,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that U.S. minesweepers were “clearing the Strait right now.” It has not been confirmed whether Iranian boats are mining the strait.
The post took a more aggressive tone than previous comments from the White House, which said on Wednesday that the president did not view Iran’s reported ship seizures as a violation of the U.S.-Iran cease-fire that he extended this week.
The tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have injected fresh fear into energy markets, with oil trading above $100 a barrel again on Thursday.
Energy prices have risen sharply since the United States and Israel began the war on Iran in late February and Iran responded by effectively blocking shipping through the strait. The United States has countered with a naval blockade that has prevented dozens of ships from leaving or accessing Iranian ports.
The U.S. Navy has also targeted Iran-linked ships elsewhere in the world. On Thursday, the Pentagon said that American forces had stopped and boarded the M/T Majestic X, a sanctioned tanker carrying oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean, in an effort to squeeze Iran’s oil economy. Earlier this week, Navy SEALS boarded another ship in the Indian Ocean, the M/T Tifani, the Pentagon said. Iran War Live Updates » | Luke Broadwater and Eric Schmitt | Thursday, April 23, 2026
