---
title: 'Trump Rules Out Nuclear Option as Tensions Rise Over Strait of Hormuz'
url: 'https://thediplomaticinsight.com/trump-rules-out-nuclear-option-as-tensions-rise-over-strait-of-hormuz/'
author: 'News Desk'
date: '2026-04-24T11:26:08+05:00'
categories:
  - 'Featured'
  - 'Middle East'
  - 'World'
tags:
  - 'Donald Trump'
  - 'Iran'
  - 'Strait of Hormuz'
  - 'US Navy'
---

# Trump Rules Out Nuclear Option as Tensions Rise Over Strait of Hormuz

**Washington (TDI):** Backed by Republican allies in Congress, President Donald Trump has ordered the US Navy to target and destroy any vessels suspected of laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, amid escalating maritime tensions in the region. At the same time, US forces have reportedly boarded an oil-carrying vessel linked to Iran in the Indian Ocean.

In later remarks, Trump ruled out the use of nuclear weapons against Iran. He added that although Washington is not in a hurry to conclude the conflict, “the clock is ticking” for Tehran.

Despite the US extending a ceasefire indefinitely, there has been no breakthrough in efforts to launch a second round of peace talks. Iran has stated that negotiations are not possible while its ports remain under blockade.

US military presence in the region has also increased, with the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush joining operations in the Middle East. This brings the number of US carriers in the area to three, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM) activity shared on social media.

Iranian state media reported heightened air defense activity in parts of Tehran, including sounds of anti-aircraft fire and activation of defensive systems in response to what it described as “hostile targets.”

Trump also claimed that the United States maintains “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz, saying no vessel can enter or exit without US Navy approval and that the waterway would remain effectively closed until a deal with Iran is reached.

**Read More: [US Tells Israel Iran Ceasefire Will End Sunday, Report Says](https://thediplomaticinsight.com/us-tells-israel-iran-ceasefire-will-end-sunday/)**

Meanwhile, the US Senate rejected a war powers resolution aimed at limiting the president’s authority to continue military operations, voting 46–51 against advancing the measure.

The US Defense Department said its forces boarded a supertanker named The Majestic in the Indian Ocean, near Sri Lanka, alleging it was carrying Iranian crude oil. The Pentagon described the action as part of a “maritime interdiction” targeting a sanctioned vessel.

According to CENTCOM, more than 30 vessels have been redirected since the start of the naval blockade on Iranian-linked shipping routes. However, data analytics firms report that Iranian crude exports have continued through the Strait of Hormuz despite restrictions.

Reports suggest millions of barrels of Iranian oil have still moved through the region during the blockade period, with multiple tanker movements recorded entering and exiting the Persian Gulf.

**Read More: [US Navy Secretary Forced Out of Pentagon as Iran Naval Blockade Continues](https://thediplomaticinsight.com/us-navy-secretary-forced-out-of-pentagon/)**

Iran has also claimed it has begun collecting revenue from tolls imposed on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. A senior Iranian parliamentary official said the first payments had already been deposited into the country’s central bank.

State media further broadcast footage showing Iranian commandos boarding a large cargo vessel, part of what Tehran describes as tightened control over the strategic waterway.