Trump Announces Destruction of 16 Iranian Ships Equipped with Mines Near the Strait of Hormuz
In a serious escalation of tensions in the Gulf, the U.S. military announced early Wednesday morning the destruction of 16 Iranian ships that were planting mines near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important waterways, through which about one-fifth of global oil production passes.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that American forces completely destroyed ten of these ships, threatening Iran with "unprecedented military consequences" if it targeted the strait or did not remove any floating explosive devices placed there.
Trump added via his Truth Social platform: "If they remove what may have been planted, that would be a huge step in the right direction."
He also indicated that the United States would resort to the missiles previously used to destroy drug trafficking ships in Latin America to ensure "the complete elimination of any ship planting mines in the strait."
This announcement from Trump came after U.S. media reported that Iran had begun planting mines or was about to do so, but he emphasized that he had no confirmed reports indicating that this had occurred yet.
This escalation coincided with previous statements from Tehran about not allowing oil to pass through the strait, amid ongoing fluctuations in oil prices due to the near-total halt of maritime navigation in the vital waterway.
In this context, the Saudi Ministry of Defense announced the destruction of two drones heading towards the Shaybah field in the Empty Quarter, reflecting the rising tensions in the region.
The White House had previously stated that the U.S. Navy had not escorted any oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, after the U.S. Secretary of Energy posted information on X before later deleting it.
