Donald Trump has given orders for the US military to take down any Iranian boats planting mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The President emphasized the need for swift action against such vessels, directing heightened efforts to clear mines in the crucial waterway. Trump’s directive was communicated through a post on Truth Social, where he emphasized the tripled-up level of activity.
In a recent development, the US military confirmed the seizure of a tanker carrying Iranian oil in the Indian Ocean. The vessel, named Majestic X and previously known as Phoenix, had been flagged by Guyana and was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2024 for smuggling Iranian crude oil in defiance of US sanctions.
This incident follows Iran’s attack on three cargo ships attempting to navigate through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming control of two of them. Iran justified its actions as retaliatory measures against the US seizure of an Iranian vessel earlier in the week, labeling it a violation of the ceasefire and an act of piracy. Additionally, Iran criticized the US naval blockade of its ports since mid-April.
Despite Trump’s announcement of an extension to the ceasefire with Iran, tensions persist, with Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, stating that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is currently unattainable due to the ongoing naval blockade, which he condemned as a breach of the ceasefire agreement.
In related news, casualties continue to mount in the conflict, with over 3,300 fatalities reported in Iran due to US-Israeli airstrikes, while Lebanon has suffered more than 2,200 deaths, including five journalists. The latest victim, journalist Amal Khalil from Al-Akhbar newspaper, was killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, with freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj sustaining injuries.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam denounced the targeting of journalists as war crimes, accusing Israel of repeatedly attacking journalists in southern Lebanon. The toll from missile attacks includes 23 fatalities in Israel and numerous deaths in Gulf Arab states. Combat casualties have also been recorded, with 15 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 US service members across the region losing their lives.