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Trump Orders Shoot-and-Kill; US Clears Iranian Mines, Oil Surges

4/25/2026

27 3 Full Breakdown

Center

Trump Orders Mine-Clearance

President Donald Trump ordered forces to “shoot and kill” Iranian boats laying mines in Strait of Hormuz and triple mine-sweeping.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps laid mines, seized two cargo ships and damaged a vessel’s bridge in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Navy deployed mine-countermeasure ships USS Chief and USS Pioneer, using drones to clear mines.
Brent crude rose to $99 per barrel, a 35% increase since the war began.

Left

Iran Seizes Vessels

Closure of the Strait of Hormuz has stranded roughly 20,000 seafarers and 2,000 vessels, sparking humanitarian appeals.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps seized two ships and hit a third vessel, damaging its bridge while the crew survived.
Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said a cease-fire cannot happen, the U.S. blockade continues, a breach.
U.S. gasoline prices rose above $4 per gallon amid the blockade.

History

Historical Context

In April 1988, after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard mined the frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts, the United States launched Operation Praying Mantis, destroying two Iranian oil platforms and two frigates under President Ronald Reagan. The attack helped push Iran toward a cease-fire in Iran-Iraq War and was later ruled unjustified by the International Court of Justice in 2003. Today, mining threats in the Strait of Hormuz echo that 1988 clash.

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Trump Orders Mine-Clearance

President Donald Trump ordered forces to “shoot and kill” Iranian boats laying mines in Strait of Hormuz and triple mine-sweeping.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps laid mines, seized two cargo ships and damaged a vessel’s bridge in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Navy deployed mine-countermeasure ships USS Chief and USS Pioneer, using drones to clear mines.
Brent crude rose to $99 per barrel, a 35% increase since the war began.

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