Global tensions have escalated after the strategic Strait of Hormuz was effectively shut, triggering a sharp surge in oil prices and shaking international markets. As uncertainty spreads across the energy sector, Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Iran, claiming that Iranian forces may have planted naval mines in the crucial shipping corridor.

Trump warns Iran over alleged mines

Speaking on Tuesday, Trump said the United States had received reports suggesting that Iranian forces had placed mines in the Strait of Hormuz, though he admitted the information had not been fully confirmed.

Posting on Truth Social, he wrote that Iran should remove the mines immediately and peacefully. Otherwise, the US would take action “they have never seen before.”

Trump further warned that advanced technology used by the US to track and stop drug traffickers could also be deployed to detect and destroy any mines threatening ships in the region. According to him, any attempt to attack commercial vessels would be met with swift and decisive retaliation.

Iran’s threat and rising oil market panic

Tensions intensified after Ibrahim Jabbari of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps earlier warned that oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz could be targeted and set ablaze.

Since the warning, global oil markets have been rattled. The situation worsened when the route—responsible for transporting a significant portion of the world’s oil—became effectively inaccessible.

In response, Trump announced that American forces would escort ships passing through the waterway and provide security to commercial vessels navigating the region.

Oil prices surge amid West Asia conflict

Following the escalation of the wider West Asian conflict, crude oil prices have soared to nearly $110 per barrel, the highest level seen in four years. The disruption of shipments through the Strait of Hormuz has raised serious concerns about global supply shortages.

Trump also suggested that the US could take stronger steps if necessary, including seizing control of the waterway to ensure safe passage for international trade.

“If required, we will take control of the Strait of Hormuz,” he warned, adding that strict action against Iran remains on the table.

The remarks signal a dramatic escalation in rhetoric as geopolitical tensions threaten to destabilise one of the world’s most vital energy corridors.