Iran has continued laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz as negotiations with the U.S. remain at a standstill, according to a new report.
After learning of the development, Trump ordered the military to "shoot and kill" Iranian boats deploying mines in the key waterway with "no hesitation."
It is the second time Tehran forces have laid mines, Axios noted, adding that it is not clear what has been of the mines from the first time.
A previous report claimed that th Pentagon has told members of Congress that fully clearing the strait could take as long as six months.
The Washington Post noted that defense officials delivered that assessment in a classified briefing, telling lawmakers that a full clearance effort likely would not begin until the current U.S.-Iran war ends.
Officials added that Iran may have deployed at least 20 mines using both boats and GPS-guided remote systems, a combination that complicates detection and removal.
Oil continues to rise in the meantime as practically no ships are passing through the waterway. Concretely, Brent oil futures jumped about 3% to close above $105 per barrel. The price of West Texas Intermediate also climbed a similar amount, clocking in at almost $96.
President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he has "all the time in the world" to make a deal with Iran and end the war, but Tehran is not in that same position because the blockade is strangling its finances.
In a social media publication, Trump lashed out at media publications for, in his view, conveying that he is "anxious" to end the war in Iran.
"With Iran, please be advised that I am possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position. I have all the time in the World, but Iran doesn't — The clock is ticking!" he added.
Trump went on to say that Tehran's "Navy is lying at the bottom of the Sea, their Air Force is demolished, their Anti Aircraft and Radar Weaponry is gone, their leaders are no longer with us, the Blockade is airtight and strong and, from there, it only gets worse — Time is not on their side!"
However, doubts persist about who in Iran could be able to have the authority necessary to continue negotiations and potentially reach a deal.
Trump also said on Thursday that Iranian officials are "having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is."
Elsewhere, a new report claimed that some officials in Israel and the U.S. believe that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is not ruling Iran, with control being exerted by the revolutionary guard (IRGC).
