The Pentagon posted a chilling video of US troops seizing a ship carrying Iranian oil amid the unravelling ceasefire. Read more:

It comes as Donald Trump vowed to “shoot and kill any boat” suspected of laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, following reports that Iran had covertly seeded GPS-guided sea mines to blast ships crossing the waterway.

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STRAIT SHOOTER Trump issues chilling ‘shoot to kill’ order in Iran as dramatic video shows US seizing ANOTHER regime-linked oil tanker

Georgie English , Senior Foreign News Reporter

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Bethan Moss , Foreign News Reporter

Published: 13:34, 23 Apr 2026

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Updated: 16:04, 23 Apr 2026

Dramatic moment US seizes ANOTHER Iran-linked oil tanker – after regime claims it’s received first cash from Strait toll

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THIS is the dramatic moment US forces leap down from helicopters and seize another Iranian-linked oil tanker.

It comes as Donald Trump vowed to “shoot and kill any boat” suspected of laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, following reports that Iran had covertly seeded GPS-guided sea mines to blast ships crossing the waterway.

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The dramatic moment US forces use helicopters to seize and board another Iranian-linked oil tankerCredit: Clash Report/X

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US forces boarded and seized a sanctioned, stateless oil tanker carrying Iranian oil in the Indian OceanCredit: Clash Report/X

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The US president said on Truth Social: “I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz.”

US troops will fire with “no hesitation”.

He added: “Our mine ‘sweepers’ are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!”

Iran reportedly seeded sea mines across the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, as satellite photos showed its gunboats racing across the waterway in formation.

US officials told lawmakers that 20 or more mines may already be in place, with some remotely floated using GPS technology, the Washington Post reported.

Trump later raged on Truth Social about Iranian infighting, saying that: “Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know!”

Despite the mines strewn across the vital shipping lane, he insisted: “We have total control over the Strait of Hormuz.

“No ship can enter or leave without the approval of the United States Navy.

“It is ‘Sealed up Tight’, until such time as Iran is able to make a DEAL!!!”

It comes as the US Defense Department released footage of today’s seizure of the Majestic X oil tanker vessel in the Indian Ocean.

Troops fast-roped down onto the deck of the vessel as they boarded the sanctioned ship via multiple helicopters.

Ship-tracking data showed the Majestic X was caught as it sailed between Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

It was following a similar route to the Tifani tanker which was also seized by US forces earlier in the conflict as it headed for Zhoushan, China.

Iranian deputy speaker of parliament Hamidreza Hajibabaei claimed: “The first revenue received from the Strait of Hormuz tolls was deposited into the Central Bank account.”

The US has warned Iran isn’t allowed to profit from the vital waterway after Trump imposed a US blockade to choke Tehran of its main revenue stream.

US troops stormed another Iran-linked ship that Trump said was carrying a “gift from China” at the weekend.

Trump said the ship’s cargo “wasn’t very nice” and that Iran had “probably done a little bit of restocking”, implying that Beijing had been supplying the rogue nation with weapons.

The US Department of War said in a statement: “We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate.

“International waters cannot be used as a shield by sanctioned actors.

“The Department of War will continue to deny illicit actors and their vessels freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain.”

There is to be no hesitation.”

The release of the footage comes just hours after Iran shared video claiming to show balaclava-clad naval forces seizing a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

IRGC boats terrorised three commercial ships with gunfire yesterday, warning that all US vessels were “legitimate targets” after spurning Trump’s peace talks offer.

Armed IRGC agents deployed on gunboats reportedly opened fire on the Greek-owned container ship MSC Epaminondas before boarding and threatening the crew.

The captain “ignored the warnings of the Iranian armed forces”, according to Nour News, who are affiliated with Iran‘s Supreme National Security Council.

The chilling footage, shared by Iranian media, appears to be legitimate after the regime said it boarded the Epaminondas on Tuesday.

Iran’s navy claimed to have taken over a second cargo ships, the Euphoria, after accusing it of also trying to breach their blockade.

Iranian state media said the Epaminondas and the MSC Francesca was then captured and “escorted to the Iranian coast”.