U.S. forces destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday, U.S. Central Command said, in what officials described as a move to prevent Iran from disrupting one of the world’s most critical maritime choke points.
The strikes come as oil traffic through the strait remains at a near standstill, threatening a corridor that carries roughly 20 million barrels per day — about one-fifth of global consumption — and squeezing Gulf exporters like Iraq and Kuwait that rely on the narrow passage to ship their primary source of revenue.
Prior to taking out the mining vessels, Trump demanded Iran remove them “IMMEDIATELY!” warning that if it doesn’t, “the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before.”
U.S. officials have long warned that Iran maintains a significant naval mine inventory and has rehearsed tactics designed to threaten commercial shipping in the Gulf. The destruction of the vessels appears aimed at stopping any potential deployment before mines could be laid in shipping lanes.
The Strait of Hormuz, bordered by Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south, is a critical artery for global energy markets. Even the threat of mining operations can further disrupt traffic and spike insurance and shipping costs.
It was not immediately clear whether any mines had already been placed in the water before the U.S. action. Citing intelligence sources, CNN reported Iran had laid a few dozen mines in the strait in recent days and had the capability to place hundreds more.
Since Friday, seven vessels, including four tankers and three bulk carriers, have passed through the strait, according to data from trade intelligence platform Kpler.
The U.S. Navy has been weighing escorts for commercial ships through the strait.
“We’re looking at a range of options there and will figure out how to solve problems as they come to us,” Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine told Fox News Tuesday.
The world is watching to see whether the Navy will step in to try to free up shipping. Immediately after an inaccurate and since-deleted post from Energy Secretary Chris Wright claiming the Navy had escorted a tanker, oil prices fell nearly 12%.
European allies are moving in as well: France sent two frigates to join a European Union-led escort mission for ships through the strait, though their arrival timeline is unclear.
While U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has claimed the U.S. and Israel have “total air dominance” over Iran’s skies, that doesn’t mean the threat from missiles and drones is entirely eliminated yet.
The Navy won’t escort tankers until Iran’s missile and drone threat is eliminated, retired Gen. Jack Keane told FOX Business.
“Makes no sense in terms of the risk when we’re going to finish them off entirely in a few weeks,” he said.
Recognizing the squeeze on prices around the globe, Trump announced Monday the U.S. would remove oil-related sanctions.
“We are also waiving certain oil-related sanctions to reduce prices,” he said during a press conference. “So in some countries, we’re going to take those sanctions off until this straightens out. Then, who knows, maybe we won’t have to put them on.”
The United States currently maintains sanctions affecting oil Iran, Venezuela, Russia, Syria and North Korea.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to detail what that relief would look like. A 30-day waiver was already recently issued for Russian oil stranded at sea to reach India.
A naval mine costing only a few thousand dollars can cripple or even sink a $2 billion U.S. destroyer.
The danger is not theoretical: In 1988, USS Samuel B. Roberts nearly sank after striking an Iranian mine in the Persian Gulf.
Mine-laying operations are often conducted covertly at night using small vessels such as fishing dhows or fast-attack craft, allowing mines to be deployed with little warning and potentially devastating consequences.