United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday (August 25) claimed that all mines in the Strait of Hormuz had been removed or detonated, and issued a fresh warning against any attempt to lay new mines in the strategic waterway. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the US Navy informed him that all mines have been cleared from the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any vessel involved in placing new mines would be destroyed.
All mines have been removed from Hormuz” Trump
“I have just been informed by the United States Navy that all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
Issuing a warning to Iran, the US President said, Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed.”
US watching every inch of Hormuz: Trump
Trump further claimed that the US is watching every inch of the Strait and the Pickaxe Mountain through Space Force. “Through Space Force, we are watching every square inch of the Strait, as we are also with Pickaxe Mountain and the already destroyed three other Nuclear sites. There is a zero-tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect,” he said.
Notably, Pickaxe Mountain, formally known as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, is an under-construction Iranian nuclear site buried deep beneath a mountain near the country’s Natanz nuclear facility, according to the Associated Press.
The Strait of Hormuz has remained a major flashpoint between the United States and Iran, with the potential presence of naval mines posing a serious threat to commercial shipping through the strategically important waterway.
US sanctions warning to Iran’s trading partners
Earlier on Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the new measures, warning countries that continue to trade with Iran that they could face restrictions that would potentially cut them off from the dollar-based global financial system. However, Bessent stopped short of imposing the most severe sanctions immediately.
He did not disclose which of Iran’s trading partners could be targeted or when the penalties would take effect, saying countries would be given time to comply with the new directive.
The US Treasury Department separately announced sanctions against 60 individuals, entities and vessels linked to Iran. However, the measures did not include Chinese financial institutions suspected of facilitating Iran’s oil trade. China remains Iran’s biggest trading partner and a key buyer of its oil.
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