Trump orders action on Iranian boats in Hormuz

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday, April 23, 2026, that he had directed the U.S. military via social media to “shoot and kill” Iranian small boats involved in mining activity in the Strait of Hormuz. His message described a no-hesitation approach and called for mine-clearing operations to be intensified threefold, according to the directive.

 

The order came as tensions rose in the narrow waterway that carries a significant share of global energy flows. Officials have described the Strait of Hormuz as a critical route through which 20% of global crude oil and natural gas transits, making security incidents there closely watched by governments and markets.

 

The directive followed a U.S. military seizure of another oil tanker suspected of smuggling Iranian oil, according to the account. The U.S. Defense Department released video showing forces on the Guinea-flagged oil tanker Majestic X, which was seized in the Indian Ocean. The vessel had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2024 for violating sanctions against Iran, according to the same information.

 

In describing the broader mission, the U.S. military said it remained committed to global maritime enforcement aimed at disrupting illicit networks and interdicting vessels that provide material support to Iran. The statement framed the seizure and related actions as part of efforts to enforce restrictions and counter activities linked to Iranian oil movements.

 

The escalation also followed reports that Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guards attacked three cargo ships in the Strait a day earlier and captured two of them. The sequence of events has added to uncertainty around shipping safety and operational risk in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

 

According to the account, the standoff has already had a severe effect on Iranian exports moving through the Strait, and no immediate resolution was apparent. Trump also said there was a leadership rift within Iran, which he said complicated peace talks that had previously been hosted by Pakistan.