US Says Iran Added New Mines in Strait of Hormuz During Ceasefire as Warning Shots Fired
Reflecto News | Breaking News | Iran-US Conflict
WASHINGTON — The United States has accused Iran of placing new mines in the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, a provocative act that Washington says escalates the maritime confrontation even as a fragile ceasefire technically remains in place . U.S. forces have reportedly fired warning shots at Iranian fast-attack boats engaged in mine-laying operations, adding to the heightened volatility in the critical waterway .
🚢 New Mines, Warning Shots, and a Dire Warning from CENTCOM
Pentagon officials, speaking to CBS News, confirmed that intelligence showed Iranian forces deployed additional mines in the Strait on April 23, exacerbating an already extreme danger for commercial shipping . The revelation triggered immediate action from the White House.
“It is already well reported that Iran has laid mines in the Strait of Hormuz, though not extensively,” Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), told CBS News . In response, President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning to Tehran. “I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding there would be “no hesitation” in carrying out the order .
The U.S. military has also been forced to adjust its posture to mitigate the threat. The Navy has directed commercial shipping to use a “cleared path” in the strait after weeks of mine-sweeping operations . Despite this, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine acknowledged the immense scale of the challenge, stating that more than 1,550 commercial vessels remain stuck in the Gulf .
Iran has long maintained that the U.S. naval blockade of its ports is a violation of the ceasefire, and Tehran insists the strategic waterway is under its complete control . The semi-official Fars News Agency reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued safe passage maps in the area, but international shipping remains deeply skeptical .
📜 U.S. Ramps Up Diplomatic Pressure at the UN
While the Trump administration threatens force on the water, it is simultaneously escalating the diplomatic confrontation ashore. The United States has submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council demanding that Iran “cease attacks, mining, and tolling” in the strait and cooperate with efforts to remove mines it has laid .
“These actions are illegal, plain and simple,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday, also confirming that the initial U.S. bombing campaign, Operation Epic Fury, “is over” and “concluded” .” That does not mean the crisis is resolved. The draft resolution, co-sponsored by the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar, reflects growing Gulf Arab alarm and a desire to increase international pressure on Tehran.
🚨 ‘A Violation of the Ceasefire’
The United States has now formally declared that any further efforts by Iran to lay mines constitute a breach of the truce. “If there’s attempts to lay – recklessly and irresponsibly – lay more mines, we’re going to deal with that. It’s a violation of the ceasefire,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters . The U.S. maintains the blockade is tightening, and Iran must make a deal to end the economic pressure .
Follow Reflecto News for continuous updates on the Iran-US conflict, the Strait of Hormuz, and all breaking news from around the world.
This article is the intellectual property of Reflecto News. Redistribution without attribution is prohibited. For syndication or media inquiries, please contact the editorial team.