US Strikes Iranian Mine-Laying Boats Near Strait of Hormuz, Trump Issues Warning

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The United States military said it destroyed 16 Iranian vessels suspected of laying naval mines near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement from United States Central Command.

The action comes as Donald Trump warned Iran to immediately remove any mines that may have been placed in the critical waterway. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that if Iran had deployed mines in the strait, they must be cleared at once or Tehran would face military consequences.

The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, with about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments normally passing through it.

Earlier, the Pentagon confirmed that U.S. forces were targeting Iranian mine-laying vessels and facilities used to store naval mines.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military is assessing options to potentially escort commercial ships through the strait if ordered, said Dan Caine. However, officials said no such escorts have yet taken place despite requests from the shipping industry.

Confusion also arose after Chris Wright posted on X that a tanker had been escorted through the strait. The post was later deleted, with the government saying it had been incorrectly captioned.

Iran responded by warning that any movement of U.S. naval forces or allied ships in the area could be targeted by missiles and drones, according to statements from a spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Photo Credit: X/@CENTCOM