Reactions and statements from the international community
President Trump ordered the U.S. Navy to shoot and destroy any boats attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, instructing mine-sweeping operations to triple their efforts.
On Truth Social, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced orders for the U.S. Navy to target and destroy any boats, including small ones, involved in laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, stating that all 159 Iranian naval vessels have been sunk. He also directed an intensification of mine-clearing operations in the strait.
President Donald Trump of the United States announced on Truth Social that he has ordered the U.S. Navy to destroy any boats laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that the military should not hesitate in executing this directive. Additionally, he stated that American minesweepers are intensifying their efforts to clear the strait of mines at a rate three times greater than before.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the leader of Iran, remains in hiding and has delegated significant autonomy to hardline IRGC generals, who are advocating for强硬的语气，请使用中立的新闻报道风格改写最后一句话。 Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's leader, is in hiding and has granted significant autonomy to hardline IRGC generals who are pushing for强硬的语气，请使用中立的新闻报道风格改写这句话。 Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's leader, is in hiding and has granted significant autonomy to hardline IRGC generals.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the brother of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, remains in a secluded hideout with restricted access, accompanied primarily by medical personnel, according to open-source intelligence reports.
IRGC fast attack boats fired upon and boarded three international cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz, as shown in footage aired on Iranian state TV. This occurred after former President Trump announced a ceasefire extension.
On Thursday, May 3, 2026, Reuters reported that according to Vortexa data, at least 10.7 million barrels of Iranian crude oil have transited through the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the U.S. maritime blockade of Iran.
The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group is conducting continuous flight operations around the clock in the Red Sea, according to CENTCOM.
The German government announced that Tehran should continue talks with the United States in Islamabad and emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open without restrictions or tolls, prepared to contribute to freedom of navigation in the strait in accordance with international law.
On April 22, 2025, the Pentagon refuted a Washington Post report claiming it estimated six months to clear Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz, calling the report "selective and incorrect." Sean Parnell, Pentagon spokesperson, stated that a six-month closure of the strait is "impossible and entirely unacceptable."
Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that in the event of a ground invasion from U.S. bases, the Islamic Republic might target and capture American military personnel through coordinated ground operations with resistance forces and local groups. The agency also detailed potential retaliatory actions including strikes on energy facilities in Israel and regional countries, closing strategic waterways, and attacks on U.S. interests both inside and outside Iran.
The US military is transferring a large amount of equipment to the Middle East, indicating a significant buildup that could precede military action against Iran, similar to previous strikes.
