U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy has removed or destroyed all mines in the Strait of Hormuz and warned Iran that any vessel attempting to lay new mines would be destroyed immediately.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the U.S. military had completed operations to clear the strategic waterway, one of the world’s most important routes for global energy shipments.
Trump warned that Iran had been told that any ship or other vessel involved in deploying new mines in the strait would be “immediately and systematically” destroyed.
Iran has not yet issued an official response to Trump’s statement.
The development comes amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran, with Iran having restricted much of the traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and opened fire on several vessels it accused of attempting to pass through the waterway without Tehran’s authorization.
Before the conflict began, roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz, making any disruption to the waterway a major concern for global energy markets. Restrictions on shipping have already contributed to significant volatility in international oil prices.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the United States maintains control of the area, while Tehran has signaled that it wants greater control over the strategic waterway. Washington and its allies regard the strait as international waters and have called for the unhindered movement of commercial shipping.
The conflict began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iran. Tehran responded with attacks on Israel, U.S. military facilities in the region and Arab allies of Washington in the Persian Gulf.
A ceasefire intended to create conditions for negotiations has since broken down, with periodic clashes between the United States and Iran continuing.
At the same time, Washington has announced a new package of economic sanctions against Iran. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that countries engaging in financial cooperation with Tehran could face isolation.
In June, the United States and Iran signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding that provided 60 days to reach an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz, followed by negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. That deadline has now expired, and talks have been suspended.
Trump has argued that increased economic pressure could ultimately contribute to the collapse of the Iranian regime. Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madanizadeh, however, said Tehran was “fully prepared” for the new sanctions and predicted they would result in “another loss” for the United States.
China, the largest buyer of Iranian oil, has opposed the new U.S. sanctions. Beijing has described them as “unilateral illegal sanctions” and said it would take “all necessary measures” to protect its interests.
The dispute comes ahead of a planned meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next month, with broader tensions between Washington and Beijing also threatening to create additional economic pressure.
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the confrontation. Any prolonged disruption to shipping through the waterway could have significant consequences for energy markets, global trade and the wider geopolitical balance in the Middle East.
