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Trump orders lethal force in Hormuz

Trump orders lethal force in Hormuz

President Donald Trump escalated maritime tensions on Thursday by authorizing the U.S. military to use lethal force against Iranian mine-laying vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The directive follows reports of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seizing two commercial ships and obstructing international trade routes.

Despite an indefinite extension of the ceasefire, the White House maintains that the naval blockade of Iranian ports will remain until a unified peace proposal is reached.

Global oil prices have surged above $100 a barrel as investors weigh the risks of a prolonged closure of this critical energy chokepoint.

Donald Trump
President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)
Strait of Hormuz
Strait between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf
United States Navy
Maritime branch of the United States military
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Military organization to protect the political system of the Islamic Republic in Iran, designated as a terror organization by multiple countries
Iran
Country in Western Asia