The United States has destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday, following President Donald Trump's threat over reports of mines in the strategic waterway.
President Trump announced on Truth Social that the US had hit and completely destroyed ten inactive mine-laying boats, with more to follow. US Central Command later updated the figure to 16 vessels eliminated near the crucial oil shipping route.
The action came minutes after Trump warned Iran that if mines were placed in the strait and not removed, the military consequences would be at a level never seen before. Reports from CBS and CNN indicated Iran may have already deployed mines in the area.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US would not allow terrorists to hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage, adding that the Iranian regime had been put on notice. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had threatened to attack any ship attempting to pass through the strait.
The strait carries about a fifth of the world's oil supply, and oil prices surged to nearly $120 a barrel before falling back. The conflict has also resulted in significant casualties, with at least 1,230 Iranian deaths and seven US service members killed.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied claims that Iran was planning an attack, calling the US operation an engineered misadventure. President Trump insisted Israel did not force America's hand in launching the strikes.
