The United States has launched an all-out strike on Iranian minelaying vessels, as President Donald Trump warned Iran of unprecedented military consequences if it interferes with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump’s warning came Tuesday after Tehran vowed that no Gulf oil would pass through the strategic waterway, sending global oil prices into further volatility.
“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 his Truth Social platform.
Later, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said the total had risen to 16 minelayers destroyed near the Strait of Hormuz, sharing unclassified video footage showing vessels being struck by missiles and exploding.
Trump added that, while there were reports Iran had begun or was preparing to mine the strait, the US had no confirmation such action had started.
He warned: “If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before. If, on the other hand, they remove what may have been placed, it will be a giant step in the right direction!”
The president said the US could also deploy missiles previously used against alleged drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters to “permanently eliminate” any mine-laying ships in the Gulf. “They will be dealt with quickly and violently,” he added.
Nearly 20 percent of global oil production passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making the region a critical chokepoint for energy supplies.
Earlier Tuesday, the White House clarified that the US had not escorted any oil tankers through the strait, after the energy secretary’s social media account posted, then deleted, a claim that it had.
Trump’s administration has made the destruction of Iran’s navy a key objective of “Operation Epic Fury”, the joint US-Israeli offensive launched on February 28.
On Monday, Trump told Republican lawmakers that at least 46 Iranian ships had been destroyed, including several “top-of-the-line” vessels. “The navy is gone. It’s all lying at the bottom of the ocean,” he said.
AFP
