U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that mines in the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz have either been detonated or removed and that Iran has been warned any ship or boat placing additional mines will be destroyed.
Posting on Truth Social, the president said the United States, through its Space Force, is watching "every square inch" of the Strait - a maritime corridor identified in his statement as a key element of the global energy supply chain. "There is a Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect," he added.
The president's remarks followed continued incidents in the narrow waterway. While the U.S. and Iran have not launched air strikes against each other’s militaries for several weeks, attacks on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz have persisted, the statement noted, as the two countries contest control of the passage.
Provisional data from shiptracker Vortexa, cited in reporting of the events, showed oil transits through the strait at 5 million barrels per day on Monday. That figure compares with more than 20 million barrels per day before the war, a decline the reporting framed as a drop from pre-war volumes and equivalent to roughly one of every five barrels consumed worldwide.
Operational posture and monitoring
The president emphasized surveillance capability, stating that U.S. forces are monitoring the waterway closely. He framed the response to any new mine-laying as immediate and forceful, reiterating a strict policy against the emplacement of naval mines in international waters of the strait.
Security environment
Even with an absence of recent air strikes between the U.S. and Iran, maritime attacks have continued, underlining persistent hazards for vessels operating in the corridor.
Energy transit impact
Reported transit volumes for oil through the strait remain significantly reduced compared with pre-war figures, according to provisional shiptracking data referenced in the reporting.
The available public statements and provisional tracking figures form the basis of the current account; additional details and operational specifics were not provided in the referenced remarks.