Trump: 'Zero Tolerance' Policy on Mine Placement in Effect

President Donald Trump declared on Truth Social that all mines have been cleared from the Strait of Hormuz and warned Iran that any new attempt to plant explosives in the critical waterway will be met with immediate destruction, multiple outlets reported Tuesday.

According to CNN, "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. Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. The president added, "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."

The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a flashpoint in the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. Reuters reported that the U.S. and Iran have not conducted air strikes on each other's militaries for weeks, but attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz have continued as the two sides vie for control of the narrow maritime passage. The economic toll of the standoff has been significant: oil transits through the strait were at 5 million barrels per day, down from more than 20 million per day before the war, or about one of every five barrels consumed worldwide, according to provisional data cited by Reuters.

Trump's claim that the waterway has been fully cleared has drawn skepticism, given the pattern of continued attacks on shipping. KFDM reported that a bulk carrier attempting to leave the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile last Tuesday, resulting in one casualty and damage to its engine room, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, adding that it was the eighth vessel attack in the strait reported by UKMTO this month. CNN similarly noted that Trump has repeatedly claimed that the US Navy has cleared mines from the strategically vital waterway, including in comments last week, as he seeks to project progress amid the war with Iran, and that he has also insisted that the US controls the strait.

The mine announcement came alongside broader signals from the administration that military options remain on the table even as economic pressure intensifies. CNBC reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters the U.S. was prepared to escalate if necessary, saying "If we need to use kinetic strikes, we'll use them," and "If Iran is foolish enough to overplay their hand or mess with the American military, we'll do what we need to do." Hegseth also emphasized the administration's current strategy, noting that "economic pressure hurts them the most right now," while stressing the U.S. was "by no means... foreclosing using kinetic strikes anywhere in the Strait of Hormuz or around Iran."

Trump's post also referenced Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified Iranian site. CNN reported that Trump earlier this month announced the cancellation of planned US strikes against Pickaxe Mountain, a deeply buried nuclear site that Israel believes Iran has used to store nuclear materials, suggesting the site remains under close surveillance rather than having been targeted directly.

Financial markets showed limited reaction to the mine-clearing claim. CNBC reported that strategists at BBH described the administration's latest moves, including newly expanded sanctions on Iran, as "more of a warning shot than a decisive blow," noting the Trump administration "expanded sanctions on Iran but stopped short of any immediate secondary sanctions against other countries".

Trump has previously floated even more dramatic ambitions for the waterway. KFDM reported that the president said last week, "After we finish defeating Iran — which is being very badly defeated — pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States."

No additional officials or agencies had independently verified the full clearance of mines from the strait as of Tuesday, and it remains unclear how the "zero tolerance" policy would be enforced beyond the threat of destroying vessels caught laying new explosives. The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy chokepoints, is likely to remain a focal point as the U.S. weighs further sanctions and potential military action against Tehran in the coming days.