By SCM REPORTER April 24, 2026
DONALD TRUMP has ordered US commanders to “shoot and kill” any Iranian pirates attempting to mine the world’s most vital oil lanes as the Pentagon moves a second aircraft carrier into place to tighten its “ironclad” blockade.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued the chilling warning today, revealing that the US mission to choke off Tehran is “growing more powerful by the day.”
Speaking from the Pentagon, Hegseth confirmed that President Trump has given the green light to destroy any Iranian vessel attempting to plant mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Comparing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s tactics to those of South American cartels, Hegseth said the US would treat them with the same lethal force.
”Just like the drug boats,” he declared. “The orders are to shoot and kill. If you try to mine those waters, you won’t be coming back.”
Hegseth laughed off recent attempts by Tehran to seize international vessels, dismissing their naval prowess as nothing more than “thugs on water.”
”They drove their little speedboats up to those ships and shot at them with AK-47s,” he said. “Anyone with a speedboat, a gun, and the wrong intentions can do that. It’s not a navy; it’s a nuisance—and we are going to end it.”
The US “Iron Blockade” has already crippled Iranian trade. Hegseth revealed that 34 ships attempting to defy American criteria have been forced to turn around and flee.
Growing Power: A second US aircraft carrier is set to join the blockade “within a few days,” doubling the firepower currently patrolling the region.
The Rules: Every ship meeting US criteria for suspected Iranian cargo is being intercepted.
Safe Passage: Non-Iranian vessels and those not carrying sanctioned goods are still being allowed to transit, as the US attempts to keep global energy prices stable while starving the regime.
The current crisis erupted following the formal implementation of a US naval blockade on April 13, 2024, aimed at forcing Tehran back to the negotiating table over its nuclear programme.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow “chokepoint” between Oman and Iran, sees roughly 20% of the world’s oil consumption pass through it daily. While Iran has historically threatened to close the strait, the Trump administration has flipped the script, using its massive naval advantage to decide exactly who gets in and who gets out.
With two carrier strike groups soon to be stationed off the Iranian coast, the US now has enough “over-the-horizon” firepower to strike any target within the Islamic Republic in minutes.
