U.S. Forces Attack Iranian Mine-Laying Ships Near Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Central Command announced Tuesday evening that it had attacked 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the northern Arabian Sea.

Video footage accompanying the announcement showed munitions striking nine vessels, most of which were moored at the time of the attack. The strikes came as U.S. officials reported that Iran was preparing to deploy naval mines in the strait using smaller craft capable of carrying two to three mines each.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global shipping route through which approximately one-fifth of the world's oil supply transits via large civilian-run oil tankers. Iran's southern coastline runs along the strait, and military and civilian vessels transiting through are routinely questioned by Iranian authorities via maritime radio communications when entering and exiting the gulf.

President Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday afternoon warning Iran against mine deployment. "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 promptly, "the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before."

U.S. officials told CBS News on condition of anonymity that Iran may be preparing to deploy mines to further disrupt the key shipping lane. While Iran's mine stockpile is not publicly known, estimates over the years have ranged from roughly 2,000 to 6,000 naval mines, largely produced by Iran, China, or Russia.

Whether any Iranian mines have been deployed in the water since the current conflict began on February 28 remains unclear. A pause in tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has occurred due to security concerns following strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28.