US Destroys 16 Iranian Minesweepers In The Strait Of Hormuz
- 11.03.2026, 8:31
Trump's order is being carried out.
The U.S. military destroyed Iranian warships near the Strait of Hormuz, including 16 minesweepers used for mining. This was reported by the U.S. military's Central Command on March 10. The military reported the elimination of targets after US intelligence recorded Tehran's attempts to mine the Strait of Hormuz. For this purpose, according to intelligence reports, small vessels capable of carrying 2 to 3 mines each were used. It is unclear how many total mines Iran has, but estimates range from 2,000 to 6,000.
CNNN sources familiar with U.S. intelligence noted that the mines have not been widespread so far, with only a few dozen charges planted. But Iran, despite the near total destruction of its navy, still retains between 80 percent and 90 percent of its small boats and minesweepers, enough to lay "hundreds of mines" in the fairway of the Strait of Hormuz. One of the channel's interlocutors noted that the water route is effectively controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which, in addition to planting mines, can make it difficult for ships to pass by firing shore-based missile batteries.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran must "immediately" remove all mines from the strait if they are planted there. Otherwise, he threatened Tehran with "unprecedented" consequences. Before that, Trump threatened to strike Iran "20 times harder" if the Iranian military stops oil deliveries through the Strait of Hormuz. For his part, IRGC spokesman Sardar Naini warned that Tehran would not allow "a single liter of oil" to be exported through the strait while US and Israeli aggression continues. He noted that "Iran's hands are now untied to expand the war."
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important sea artery connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, through which about 20 percent of the world's oil supply and up to 30 percent of liquefied natural gas (LNG) enters the global market. After the US and Israel launched a war against Iran, Tehran threatened to block traffic through the strait for "enemy states". At the same time, Iran itself is one of the key oil exporters using this route.