US Destroys Iranian Mine-Laying Vessels Near Hormuz as Trump Warns Against Oil Blockade

President Donald Trump warned Iran on Tuesday to remove any naval mines from the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. forces struck Iranian mine-laying vessels near the critical waterway, underscoring how control of the narrow passage has become a central flashpoint in the escalating conflict and a major concern for global oil markets.

 Trump said U.S. forces had already destroyed Iranian vessels capable of laying mines in the area, part of an effort to keep the shipping lane open.

"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 Tuesday afternoon on Truth Social.

The U.S. military later said American forces had destroyed a total of 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

The strikes came as the Trump administration warned Iran that any attempt to block oil shipments through the strategic channel would bring an overwhelming military response.

"If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far," Trump wrote in another Truth Social post.

Pentagon officials said the strikes on Iranian vessels were part of broader operations aimed at preventing Tehran from mining the waterway and ensuring commercial shipping can eventually resume through the strait.

U.S. Navy forces and regional partners are closely monitoring maritime activity around the channel and preparing for potential mine-clearing operations if Iran attempts to seed explosives along the route, according to U.S. defense officials familiar with the planning.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had earlier vowed to choke off oil exports from the region if U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran continue.

"We will not allow one liter of oil to be exported from the region," a Revolutionary Guards spokesperson said Tuesday, according to Iranian state media.

The intensifying rhetoric and military activity have pushed the Strait of Hormuz to the center of the war's strategic stakes. The narrow waterway between Iran and Oman connects the Persian Gulf to global shipping routes and carries about one-fifth of the world's daily oil supply.

Energy exports from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar all pass through the strait, meaning even a partial disruption could ripple through global energy markets.

The war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has already effectively halted tanker movement through the waterway for more than a week, forcing some producers to slow or stop pumping as storage facilities fill. Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply normally moves through the strait, making it the most critical chokepoint in global energy markets.

Despite the threat to shipping, the U.S. Navy earlier told commercial shipping industry officials it did not currently have assets positioned to escort tankers through the strait, citing safety concerns and the risks posed by possible naval mines and ongoing military operations, Reuters reported.

Pentagon officials have said the United States retains the capability to deploy naval escorts or multinational convoy operations if necessary to reopen the waterway, though no such escort mission has yet been formally announced.

Trump has said the United States could begin escorting commercial vessels if necessary to keep the waterway open, but such escorts had not yet begun.

Naval mines are widely viewed as one of Iran's most effective asymmetric weapons in a confrontation with the United States. Even a limited mining effort could halt tanker traffic and require a major multinational effort to locate and clear explosives before shipping could resume.

The uncertainty surrounding the waterway has produced dramatic swings in global energy markets.

Brent crude futures surged as much as 29% on Monday to their highest levels since 2022 as traders feared a prolonged disruption in oil flows. Prices fell more than 10% on Tuesday after Trump expressed confidence the war could end quickly and signaled the United States may take steps to ease supply shortages.

After speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump said Washington could waive some oil-related sanctions on certain countries to help stabilize global supply. Officials have also discussed releasing oil from strategic reserves or adjusting U.S. export policies if the conflict tightens energy markets further.

Trump said Monday that U.S. strikes had already inflicted serious damage to Iran's military and predicted the war could end well before the initial four-week timeframe he outlined after hostilities began.

At the same time, Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, appeared to signal continued resistance after assuming power Monday following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was unlikely to resume negotiations with the United States, telling PBS that talks had collapsed after Washington launched strikes despite what he described as progress in earlier discussions.

The confrontation has already caused heavy damage inside Iran, where U.S. and Israeli air and missile strikes have targeted military installations and energy facilities.

With U.S. forces destroying Iranian mine-laying vessels and Tehran threatening to choke off oil exports, the security of the Strait of Hormuz has become one of the central fronts in the conflict.

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