Is Iran laying mines at the Strait of Hormuz? US says it ‘eliminated’ 16 mine-laying vessels
Iran war: The Pentagon confirmed it was targeting Iranian mine-laying vessels and storage facilities as part of a wider campaign to ensure safe maritime passage.
- Mar 11, 2026,
- Updated Mar 11, 2026 8:17 AM IST
The US Central Command announced on Tuesday that American forces had eliminated 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, raising security concerns in one of the world’s key oil shipping lanes. President Donald Trump warned Iran that any mines found in the area must be removed immediately, and warned of further military action if Tehran does not comply.
"If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY!" He said that if Tehran did not do so it would face “military consequences”.
President Trump had earlier stated that the US had completely destroyed 10 inactive mine-laying vessels. The Pentagon confirmed it was targeting Iranian mine-laying vessels and storage facilities as part of a wider campaign to ensure safe maritime passage.
The President added that US forces were using technology previously employed against drug traffickers to permanently eliminate any vessel attempting to mine the Strait. These actions follow a series of US strikes on vessels suspected of drug smuggling in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
General Dan Caine told reporters that the US was considering various options, including military escorts for commercial vessels. However, sources told Reuters that the US Navy has so far declined near-daily requests from the shipping industry for such escorts.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has nearly stopped since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran over a week ago. This has blocked exports of about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply and caused global oil prices to rise to levels not seen since 2022. A senior official from Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the strait is closed and Iran will fire on any ship attempting to pass, according to Iranian media reports last week. Several ships have already been hit.
Saudi Arabia's Aramco, the world's largest oil exporter, warned on Tuesday that there would be "catastrophic consequences" for global oil markets if the war on Iran continues to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, who had claimed on social media that a US Navy vessel had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, deleted the post with a department spokesperson explaining that the video clip was incorrectly captioned.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the US had not yet escorted any oil tankers or vessels through the Strait during a press conference. An Iranian Revolutionary Guards spokesperson also denied that any oil ship had received an escort.
In remarks reported by Iranian state media, IRGC spokesperson Ali Mohammad Naini warned that any movement by the US fleet and its allies would be stopped by Iranian missiles and drones.
The US Central Command announced on Tuesday that American forces had eliminated 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, raising security concerns in one of the world’s key oil shipping lanes. President Donald Trump warned Iran that any mines found in the area must be removed immediately, and warned of further military action if Tehran does not comply.
"If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY!" He said that if Tehran did not do so it would face “military consequences”.
President Trump had earlier stated that the US had completely destroyed 10 inactive mine-laying vessels. The Pentagon confirmed it was targeting Iranian mine-laying vessels and storage facilities as part of a wider campaign to ensure safe maritime passage.
The President added that US forces were using technology previously employed against drug traffickers to permanently eliminate any vessel attempting to mine the Strait. These actions follow a series of US strikes on vessels suspected of drug smuggling in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
General Dan Caine told reporters that the US was considering various options, including military escorts for commercial vessels. However, sources told Reuters that the US Navy has so far declined near-daily requests from the shipping industry for such escorts.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has nearly stopped since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran over a week ago. This has blocked exports of about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply and caused global oil prices to rise to levels not seen since 2022. A senior official from Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the strait is closed and Iran will fire on any ship attempting to pass, according to Iranian media reports last week. Several ships have already been hit.
Saudi Arabia's Aramco, the world's largest oil exporter, warned on Tuesday that there would be "catastrophic consequences" for global oil markets if the war on Iran continues to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, who had claimed on social media that a US Navy vessel had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, deleted the post with a department spokesperson explaining that the video clip was incorrectly captioned.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the US had not yet escorted any oil tankers or vessels through the Strait during a press conference. An Iranian Revolutionary Guards spokesperson also denied that any oil ship had received an escort.
In remarks reported by Iranian state media, IRGC spokesperson Ali Mohammad Naini warned that any movement by the US fleet and its allies would be stopped by Iranian missiles and drones.