President Donald Trump warned Iran of severe military consequences after U.S. forces destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying boats near the Strait of Hormuz.
The Pentagon said Tuesday that the vessels were among several Iranian naval craft eliminated by U.S. forces during operations in the strategic waterway.
The strikes came as concerns grow that Iran may attempt to deploy naval mines in the strait, a key global oil route.
Trump issued a blunt warning to Tehran in a post on Truth Social.
“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!” Trump wrote.
He added that if mines were placed and not removed quickly, “the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before.”
The president later confirmed that U.S. forces had already struck several vessels.
“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.
The Pentagon later said the total number of Iranian mine-laying boats destroyed had reached 16.
U.S. Central Command confirmed the strikes in a post on X. Officials said American forces are aggressively targeting vessels and storage sites connected to Iran’s mine-laying capabilities.
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine said the military is actively tracking and striking suspected sites linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps along the country’s coast.
“We will continue to hunt and strike” those targets, he said during a Pentagon press briefing.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important energy chokepoints in the world. Roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass through the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman.
Shipping through the strait has slowed dramatically amid fears of drone attacks, missiles, and naval mines.
Reports indicate that as many as 250 ships, including about 150 oil tankers, are currently backed up in the Arabian Sea.
U.S. intelligence has also detected Iranian small craft moving into the strait. Officials say the boats are capable of carrying two to three naval mines each.
Analysts estimate that Iran may possess between 2,000 and 6,000 naval mines of various types.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration will respond forcefully if Iran attempts to block the waterway.
“If they do anything to stop the flow of oil or goods within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the world’s most powerful military 20 times harder than they have been hit thus far,” she said.
Trump also warned earlier this week that Iran would be struck “20 times harder” if it interferes with global oil shipments.
The escalating confrontation has rattled energy markets and raised concerns about global supply disruptions.
Republican leaders in Congress said they hope the conflict will end quickly.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said rising gas prices could stabilize soon.
“Gas prices will come back down,” Johnson said, though he noted it could take “a couple of weeks.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) also expressed concern about energy costs but said the best outcome would be “a fairly speedy resolution” to the military operations now underway.
The situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains tense as U.S. forces continue targeting Iranian naval assets and warning Tehran against attempting to block the vital shipping lane.