The Pentagon announced that American forces destroyed 16 mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz shortly after Donald Trump warned Iran of unprecedented military retaliation if the vital waterway was mined.
The strikes were confirmed by the United States Central Command, which stated that the vessels were destroyed near the narrow Gulf chokepoint that transports about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
“I am pleased to report that within the last few hours, we have hit, and completely destroyed, 10 inactive mine laying boats and/or ships, with more to follow!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Minutes before the strikes, Trump issued a stern warning on Truth Social, declaring that if mines were placed in the strait and not removed immediately, “the military consequences for Iran will be at a level never seen before.”
US intelligence reports, cited by CBS News and CNN, indicated that Tehran had already begun deploying dozens of naval mines in the shipping lane.
U.S. forces eliminated multiple Iranian naval vessels, March 10, including 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz. pic.twitter.com/371unKYiJs
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 10, 2026
The president stated that the United States was utilising advanced missile and surveillance technology, previously used against drug-trafficking vessels, to eliminate any boats attempting to mine the route.
Additionally, Pete Hegseth assured that Washington “will not allow terrorists to hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage,” indicating the potential for further strikes if the threat to global shipping persists.
“At the direction of President Trump, @CENTCOM has been eliminating inactive mine-laying vessels in the Strait of Hormuz—wiping them out with ruthless precision,” Hegseth wrote on X.
“To the weakened Iranian regime: you have officially been put on notice!”
U.S. forces are degrading the Iranian regime's ability to project power at sea and harass international shipping. For years, Iranian forces have threatened freedom of navigation in waters essential to American, regional and global security and prosperity. pic.twitter.com/gIBN02mowh
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 10, 2026
This escalation heightens the risk of a wider conflict in the Gulf, where any disruption to traffic through the strait could significantly increase global oil and gas prices.
Last week Ebrahim Jabari, a senior official with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said: “The strait is closed. If anyone tries to pass, the heroes of the Revolutionary Guards and the regular navy will set those ships ablaze,” Reuters reported.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said: “The claim that Iran was planning on attacking the U.S. or U.S. Forces, whether preventively or preemptively, is a sheer and utter lie.
“The sole purpose of that lie is to justify Operation Epic Mistake, a misadventure engineered by Israel and paid for by ordinary Americans.”
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