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.