US President Donald Trump ordered the Navy to “shoot and kill” Iranian boats placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating the bitter stalemate over the key waterway.
The directive came after Iran seized two container ships; both sides are looking to control the strait through their own blockades, creating an “uneasy standoff” with no diplomatic off-ramp in sight, Bloomberg wrote.
Trump suggested Thursday he feels no rush to end the war, despite his initial four- to six-week timeline. He later announced a three-week extension to the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, which was due to expire Sunday; that conflict has complicated US-Iran peace negotiations, while some Pakistani officials — who are playing mediator — blamed the US’ blockade of Hormuz for stalled talks, Nikkei reported.