“There is to be no hesitation,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that U.S. minesweepers were “clearing the Strait right now.” It has not been confirmed whether Iranian boats are mining the strait.

The post took a more aggressive tone than previous comments from the White House, which said on Wednesday that the president did not view Iran’s reported ship seizures as a violation of the U.S.-Iran cease-fire that he extended this week.

The tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have injected fresh fear into energy markets, with oil trading above $100 a barrel again on Thursday.

Energy prices have risen sharply since the United States and Israel began the war on Iran in late February and Iran responded by effectively blocking shipping through the strait. The United States has countered with a naval blockade that has prevented dozens of ships from leaving or accessing Iranian ports.

The U.S. Navy has also targeted Iran-linked ships elsewhere in the world. On Thursday, the Pentagon said that American forces had stopped and boarded the M/T Majestic X, a sanctioned tanker carrying oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean, in an effort to squeeze Iran’s oil economy. Earlier this week, Navy SEALS boarded another ship in the Indian Ocean, the M/T Tifani, the Pentagon said.

Here’s what else we are covering:

• Israel-Lebanon cease-fire: A second round of ambassador-level talks between the two countries was scheduled for Thursday in Washington. A 10-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militia, is set to expire on Sunday.

• Tankers: Greece’s foreign minister said Thursday that the Epaminondas, one of the tankers that Iran said it had seized the previous day, was now anchored with no Iranians on board, although he did not specify its location.

• Strait of Hormuz: A summit aimed at reopening the strait reconvened in London on Thursday with military planners from over 30 countries.

• Persian Gulf: President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on Thursday made public details of security agreements that he signed with three Middle Eastern countries, as they bolster their defenses against Iranian drones and missiles.

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https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/23/world/iran-war-trump-news