Trump Says All Mines in the Strait of Hormuz Have Been Removed, Warns Ships Will Be Destroyed if They Are Laid Again

[Financial News] Donald Trump, the president of the United States, declared that all mines that had been laid in the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz have been removed. He also warned that if Iran lays new mines again, the ships involved will be destroyed immediately, making clear Washington's intent to directly control the order of passage through the strait.
On the 25th local time, Trump said on Truth Social that he had just received a report from the USN that all mines in the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz had been removed and detonated.
He added that Iran had been notified that any vessel installing new mines would be destroyed immediately and systematically. He stressed that a "comprehensive and effective zero-tolerance policy" would be applied to mine laying.
With ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz sharply reduced amid the recent conflict, the remarks appear aimed at highlighting that the United States has completed mine removal along the key shipping route and can guarantee free passage through the strait. They are also being read as a warning that Washington will use military force to block any further mine laying by Iran and maintain control over the waterway.
Trump also claimed that the area around the strait is being monitored in real time. "We are watching every corner of the strait through the Space Force," he said. "The same goes for Pickaxe Mountain and the other nuclear facilities that have already been destroyed."
Pickaxe Mountain is a site that the United States and Israel suspect contains a new underground nuclear facility in Iran. The "other nuclear facilities that have already been destroyed" appear to refer to the Fordow facility, the Natanz Nuclear Facility, and the Isfahan nuclear facility, which were struck by U.S. forces in June last year.
The remarks came as Iran and Oman agreed to create a temporary joint maritime corridor and pursue mine-clearing efforts to restore safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. As diplomatic talks begin over normalizing the strait, the United States is also signaling that it will not tolerate any further mine laying and is prepared to back that position with military power.
As a result, the main issue surrounding the Strait of Hormuz may shift from simple mine removal to who will manage future traffic and safety in the waterway. While coastal states such as Iran and Oman seek a joint management plan, the United States is emphasizing that it has the military capability to monitor the strait and ensure safe passage.

[email protected] Kim Kyung-min Reporter