WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that all mines have been removed or detonated from international waters in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy shipping route.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he had been informed by the US Navy that the mines had been cleared from the strait. “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,” Trump wrote.
The US President warned Iran that any vessel found placing new mines in the waterway would be “immediately and systematically destroyed,” declaring a “Zero Tolerance” policy on mine placement.
Trump also said the US Space Force was monitoring the Strait of Hormuz, as well as nuclear-related sites including Pickaxe Mountain and three other sites he said had already been destroyed.
“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.”
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 25, 2026
“There is a Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect,” Trump added.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital passage for global oil and gas shipments, and any disruption could have significant implications for international energy markets.
Last week the US President said that the Strait of Hormuz is “open and operating.”
“The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
The US 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.
Oil transits through the strait were at 5 million barrels per day on Monday, provisional data from shiptracker Vortexa showed, down from more than 20 million per day before the war or about one of every five barrels consumed worldwide.
An oil tanker was hit with a projectile off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz.
The oil tanker was hit Monday night a few miles off the east coast of Oman, according to a report Tuesday from the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organisation.
The strike disabled the ship’s engine, but all crew were reported safe, the UKMTO said. There were no immediate reports of any environmental impact. Prior attacks on tankers during the war have caused oil spills.
UKMTO WARNING 120-26
Click here to view the full product.⤵️https://t.co/lBi4Tk6MCl#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/KL3RUtCGgH
— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) August 24, 2026
About a fifth of the world’s traded oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran now has a stranglehold on traffic through the strait and periodically fires at vessels attempting to transit, though there was no immediate claim for Monday’s attack.
The US is also operating a blockade of Iranian ports and has fired on vessels.
Iran and Oman, located on the opposite side of the strait from Iran, are finalising their own proposal for managing the waterway. Oman’s foreign minister was to meet with Iranian authorities Tuesday.
