Live updates: Trump orders action on mine-laying boats in Strait

( NewsNation ) —   President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. military to “shoot and kill” Iranian small boats that deploy mines, choking the Strait of Hormuz .

Trump’s order came shortly after the U.S. military seized another tanker associated with the smuggling of Iranian oil, ratcheting up a standoff with Tehran over the strait through which 20% of all crude oil and natural gas traded passes.

“I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be…that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “There is to be no hesitation. Additionally, our mine “sweepers” are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!”

The president also said the military is intensifying its mine-clearing efforts in the critical waterway.

US citizens urged to leave Iran immediately

Meanwhile, a new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is set to start Thursday in Washington, D.C., a week after the countries held rare direct talks there last week.

With days left before a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and the Iranian-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah is set to expire, some Lebanese leaders say the truce could be extended.

The first round of talks included Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other United States officials. Rubio said the goal is to outline a framework for a lasting peace and to deal with Hezbollah’s influence along the Lebanese-Israeli border.

The ceasefire is holding for now, and the talks are still moving forward, but the pressure remains part of the plan.

Trump claims leadership rift is confounding Iran

“Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know!” Trump wrote Thursday in a social media post. “The infighting is between the ‘Hardliners,’ who have been losing BADLY on the battlefield, and the ‘Moderates,’ who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!), is CRAZY!”

Trump has repeatedly said over the course of the ceasefire that began April 8 that his team is dealing with Iranian officials who want to make a deal, while acknowledging his decision to kill several top leaders has come with some complications.

He announced earlier this week that he was extending the truce to give the battered Iranian leadership more time to come with a “unified proposal” on ending the war.

UK, France ‘confident’ progress can be made on Strait of Hormuz

British defense minister John Healey and his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin said they were confident that real progress could be made on the key Strait of Hormuz, as the two countries hosted a meeting with military planners on the issue.

“Turning diplomatic momentum into action demands sharp planning, frank discussion and firm commitments from allied and partner nations,” they said in a joint statement released by Britain’s Ministry of Defence.

The Strait of Hormuz has effectively been blocked by Iran since the U.S. and Israel launched the war in February.

“We are grateful to those nations who have already indicated their willingness to contribute. We are confident that real progress can be made,” the statement, described as a message to those attending the meeting, added.

US military seizes oil tanker associated with Iran

The U.S. military seized another tanker Thursday associated with smuggling Iranian oil.

The U.S. Defense Department said it seized the oil tanker Majestic X in the Indian Ocean.

“We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” the Defense Department said.

The seizure comes after Iran attacked three cargo ships on Wednesday in the Strait of Hormuz, capturing two of them.

The Defense Department released footage of the vessel’s seizure, showing U.S. troops on its deck.

There was no immediate response from Iran on the news of the seizure.

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Qatar Airways to resume daily flights to the UAE and Syria

Qatar Airways announced the resumption of daily flight operations from Hamad International Airport (DOH) to Dubai International Airport (DXB), Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) and Damascus International Airport (DAM).

Daily flights to Dubai and Sharjah will resume on Thursday, while the Damascus service begins on May 1. The airline plans to expand its schedule to over 150 destinations across six continents starting June 16.

This phased approach follows the airline’s mid-April announcement confirming plans to expand its flight schedule from June 16. At that point, Qatar Airways expects to serve more than 150 destinations across six continents.

Iran’s exiled crown prince criticizes ceasefire

Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s exiled crown prince, criticized the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.

He argued Thursday that the agreement assumes the Iranian government’s behavior will change and “you’re going to deal with people who all of a sudden have become pragmatists.”

“I don’t see that happening,” he said during a news conference in Berlin. “I’m not saying that diplomacy should not be given a chance, but I think diplomacy has been given enough chance.”

Pahlavi has tried to position himself for a return to power should the Shiite theocracy fall and has supported the U.S.-Israeli military intervention in the Middle East.

Pahlavi called on Europeans to do more to support the Iranian people fighting for democracy.

He claimed Iranian authorities executed 19 political prisoners in the past two weeks, and another 20 people have been sentenced to death.

“Will the free world do something or watch the slaughter in silence,” Pahlavi wondered.

Pakistan’s interior minister meets US official

Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement Thursday that he hoped for “positive progress” from Iran after a meeting with U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker.

The meeting in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, included a discussion of diplomatic efforts related to a second round of U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks, which were delayed after Tehran failed to confirm when it would send its delegation.

Naqvi said Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir were making efforts “at every level” to support a peaceful settlement and hoped all sides would give diplomacy a chance.

Naqvi praised President Donald Trump for extending the ceasefire, calling it a welcome step toward de-escalation.

Baker appreciated Pakistan’s “constructive role” in promoting peace, the statement said.

Pentagon says it will take months to clear mines in the Strait: Report

The Pentagon told lawmakers this week it will likely take six months to clear the mines set in the strait, according to a person familiar with the situation who was granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive information.

Officials from the Department of Defense delivered the information during a classified briefing at the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.

The session left more questions than answers as lawmakers probed for information about the cost of the war against Iran, the strategy and objectives, the person said. The lawmakers also raised questions that have still gone unanswered about the strike on a school compound during the early days of the war.

US-Iran negotiations

There’s hope that peace talks between Washington and Tehran will resume this week as the U.S. waits to see whether Iran will send a delegation for another round.

President Donald Trump told The New York Post that the next round could happen as soon as Friday. However, Iran is still objecting to the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran’s president reportedly calling it one of the main obstacles to what he called “genuine negotiation.” But the White House says reopening the Strait is nonnegotiable.

“The president’s offering them a little bit of flexibility because we want to see a unified proposal to the president’s very strong proposal,” said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “And he’s made his red lines very clear. Again, the United States maintains control over this situation, leverage over the Iranian regime.”

The White House says Trump hasn’t set a deadline for Iran to make a new peace plan.

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