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Trump Says US Controls Strait of Hormuz, May Strike Pickaxe Mountain Soon

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US President Donald Trump said Friday that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz and warned that US forces may soon strike Pickaxe Mountain.

President Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters at the White House after signing an executive order.

"We may hit Pickaxe very soon because... We know everybody that's moving at Pickaxe. We know everybody that's moving everywhere, all over Iran," Trump said.

Trump said US forces have tracked activity at Pickaxe Mountain and across Iran through space-based surveillance.

"And if anything goes bad, we hit them. We hit them hard," he said, citing the US ability to monitor Iranian movements.

Trump said US forces now control the Strait of Hormuz after striking Iranian defenses, including radar and aircraft, while continuing to allow ships and oil cargoes through the waterway.

Trump described the Iran confrontation as an intermittent military conflict rather than a war, saying active fighting has stopped for now. "We're not fighting right now. There's no fighting. We're taking out a lot of oil."

Trump said US forces also removed mines from the Strait of Hormuz and continue supporting vessel traffic through the waterway.

"There are no mines whatsoever... We took them all with our minesweepers. They go underwater. Nobody can see them", Trump added.

Trump said growing pipeline networks could weaken Iran's control over regional oil transportation. "A lot of alternatives are being made to the Hormuz Strait. The Hormuz Strait is not what it used to be."

Trump said pipelines are being built across the Middle East, including an oil route through Syria that is already open and carrying large truck shipments.

Trump said China remains largely outside the Iran conflict despite relying heavily on the waterway for energy supplies. "China could have plenty of involvement. They get 50% of their oil from the Hormuz Strait."

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