According to the Pentagon, the vessels were targeted as part of efforts to prevent the deployment of naval mines in the strategically vital passage through which a significant portion of global crude oil shipments transits.
Key Points
- US forces destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying boats near the Strait of Hormuz to prevent disruption to global oil shipping.
- Donald Trump warned Iran to remove any mines from the waterway or face severe military consequences.
- The Pentagon said at least 140 US military personnel have been wounded during the first 10 days of the conflict.
- The war has expanded across West Asia, with Iranian strikes targeting Gulf countries and threatening global energy supplies.
United States forces have destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying boats operating near the Strait of Hormuz, as Washington, DC warned Tehran against attempting to disrupt one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes.
According to the Pentagon, the vessels were targeted as part of efforts to prevent the deployment of naval mines in the strategically vital passage through which a significant portion of global crude oil shipments transits.
The action follows warnings by US President Donald Trump, who said Iran must refrain from placing mines in the waterway or face severe military consequences.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said the United States wanted any mines that may have been placed in the Strait of Hormuz removed immediately, warning that failure to do so would trigger military consequences 'at a level never seen before'.
In a subsequent post, Trump said US forces had struck and destroyed 10 inactive mine-laying boats or ships, adding that more actions could follow.
The United States Central Command also released a video showing operations aimed at weakening Iran’s ability to project power at sea and threaten international shipping.
The developments come as the West Asia conflict intensifies.
140 US troops injured: Pentagon
The Pentagon said at least 140 US military personnel have been wounded during the first 10 days of hostilities as strikes and counter-attacks expanded across the region.
Officials said the injured personnel were involved in operational deployments linked to the broader military campaign against Iran, although the Pentagon did not specify the exact locations where all incidents occurred.
US intelligence assessments have indicated that Iran may have been preparing to deploy naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over potential disruption to global energy supplies.
Meanwhile, Iranian retaliatory strikes using missiles and drones have targeted US military bases, embassies and energy infrastructure in neighbouring Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
The conflict has caused significant disruptions to global energy markets, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime corridor through which about 20 per cent of the world's oil supply passes.
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