'Shoot to kill' order issued by Trump for Iranian boats laying mines

Tankers anchored in the Strait of Hormuz (Asghar Besharati/AP)

US President Donald Trump has issued a “shoot to kill” order for Iranian boats laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

He also said that US minesweepers were working “at a tripled-up level” to clear any mines from the waters.

In a post on Truth Social, he wrote:

"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. 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! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP."

It comes as the US military has seized another Iranian tanker associated with smuggling oil.

The Defence 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 Defence Department said.

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

The Defence Department released footage of the seizure of the vessel, showing US troops on the deck of the vessel.

Ship-tracking data showed the Majestic X in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia, roughly the same location as the oil tanker Tifani, earlier seized by American forces.

It had been bound for Zhoushan, China.