U.S. Forces Eliminate 16 Iranian Mine-Laying Vessels to Secure Strait of Hormuz (Video of Sinkings)

WASHINGTON — In a decisive escalation of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Tuesday that U.S. forces have successfully destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The operation, characterized by the White House as a preemptive strike to preserve the freedom of navigation, comes amid intelligence reports that Tehran was preparing to deploy naval mines to shut down the world’s most vital energy corridor.

U.S. forces eliminated multiple Iranian naval vessels, March 10, including 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz. pic.twitter.com/371unKYiJs

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 10, 2026

The engagement began early Tuesday morning when President Donald Trump reported via Truth Social that 10 “inactive” mine-laying boats had been “hit and completely destroyed.” By Tuesday evening, CENTCOM updated the figure to 16 vessels, releasing unclassified video footage showing the small, high-speed craft being struck by precision projectiles and exploding in the turquoise waters of the Persian Gulf.

A Preemptive Strike for Global Stability

Military officials described the operation as a targeted effort to degrade the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy’s ability to project power and harass commercial shipping. General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed at a Pentagon briefing that U.S. forces are aggressively hunting mine-laying vessels and their associated storage facilities along Iran’s mountainous coastline.

“We saw indications that the Iranians were planning to start laying mines, so we took out the ships,” a senior U.S. official stated. The Strait of Hormuz serves as the exit point for approximately 20% of the world’s daily oil consumption. Even a partial mining of the waterway could send global energy markets into a tailspin, a risk the current administration has vowed to prevent through “Operation Epic Fury.”

The Technology of Deterrence

President Trump noted that the military is employing specialized missile technology and surveillance tactics—similar to those used in recent months to intercept drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters—to “permanently eliminate” any threat to the Strait.

“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,” Trump warned on Truth Social. He added, however, that if Tehran removes any existing obstructions, it would be a “giant step in the right direction.”

While the administration maintains that major progress is being made, the White House clarified that the U.S. Navy has not yet begun escorting commercial oil tankers through the Strait. This correction followed a brief social media message from the Department of Energy that was later deleted, suggesting that an escort mission had already occurred.

The Regional Toll

The destruction of the 16 minelayers brings the total number of Iranian naval vessels destroyed since the start of the campaign on February 28 to over 50. Despite the heavy losses, Tehran has remained defiant. Ali Mohammad Naini, a spokesperson for the Revolutionary Guard, told state media that any movement of the U.S. fleet would be “stopped by our missiles and drones.”

As the conflict enters its second week, the human cost continues to mount. Reports indicate that at least eight U.S. service members have been killed in the wider campaign, while Iran has launched thousands of missile and drone attacks across the region. For now, the focus remains on the Strait, where a “stack” of nearly 150 oil tankers remains in the Arabian Sea, waiting for the smoke to clear.

Sources

• The Hindu: U.S. military destroys at least 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels ‘near Strait of Hormuz’
• The Times of Israel: US military says it destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels Tuesday in Strait of Hormuz
• Kurdistan24: CENTCOM Announces Destruction of 16 Iranian Mine-Laying Naval Vessels Near Strait of Hormuz
• NTD News: US Strikes 16 Iranian Mine-Laying Boats Near Strait of Hormuz: Pentagon
• Space War: Trump says US destroying Iranian minelaying boats
• InvestingLive: US destroys 16 Iranian mine vessels and warns over Strait of Hormuz