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Trump Declares Iran War “Very Complete” as U.S. Forces Strike Hormuz Minelayers and IEA Releases Record Oil (4 Videos)

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SouthFloridaReporter.com
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Beirut

TEHRAN / WASHINGTON D.C. — On the eleventh day of a conflict that has fundamentally reshaped the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East, President Donald J. Trump has signaled that the “Second Iran War” is nearing its conclusion. Speaking from his Doral, Florida golf club and later during a high-stakes “Affordability Tour” through the American heartland, the President described the Iranian military as a spent force, even as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) continues to execute high-intensity strikes against the regime’s remaining naval and missile infrastructure.

The military situation reached a fever pitch early Wednesday morning in the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most vital energy chokepoint. In a decisive maritime engagement, U.S. forces “eliminated” 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels that were allegedly attempting to block the narrow waterway. This escalation prompted a historic intervention by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which authorized the largest release of emergency oil supplies in its history—400 million barrels—to prevent a global economic “catastrophe” and keep gas prices from spiraling out of control.
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Faith Based Events

The Battle for the Strait: Mines and Minelayers

The Strait of Hormuz, just 21 miles wide at its narrowest point, has become the primary theater of economic warfare. Iranian leadership, facing an existential threat from U.S. and Israeli air campaigns, had vowed that “not one liter of oil” would leave the Persian Gulf if the strikes continued. Intelligence reports early this week suggested that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had begun sowing explosive devices in the shipping lanes.

On Tuesday, President Trump took to Truth Social to issue a stern warning: “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!” He further stated that the U.S. was deploying advanced surveillance technology—originally used to track drug traffickers—to “permanently eliminate” any vessel attempting to mine the channel.

Hours later, CENTCOM released unclassified footage showing the destruction of 16 Iranian minelayers. Despite the President’s social media assertion that there were “no reports” of mining, CNN and other intelligence-linked outlets have confirmed that dozens of mines have likely already been deployed. The U.S. Navy has reportedly begun evaluating options for escorting commercial tankers, though White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that no such escorts have officially commenced as of Wednesday afternoon.

Global Energy Shield: The 400 Million Barrel Release

The potential closure of the Strait, through which 20% of the world’s oil flows, sent shockwaves through the markets on Monday, pushing crude prices toward record territory. In response, the IEA and its 32 member nations, including Germany, Austria, and Japan, announced a coordinated release of 400 million barrels of oil.

“This is a major action aiming to alleviate the immediate impacts of the disruption in markets,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. The release is more than double the volume authorized during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, reflecting the unprecedented nature of the current Middle East crisis.

For American consumers, the release is a vital political lifeline. With gas prices climbing at the onset of the conflict, the influx of emergency reserves aims to stabilize the “price at the pump,” a key metric as the Trump administration shifts its focus toward the 2026 midterm elections.

Trump’s “Affordability Tour” Amidst the Fog of War

While the Pentagon reports hitting over 5,500 targets inside Iran—including drone manufacturing plants, ballistic missile silos, and command centers—President Trump has pivoted to a domestic message. On Wednesday, the President launched his “Affordability Tour” with stops in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Hebron, Kentucky.

The tour is designed to reassure a public wary of war-induced inflation. In Cincinnati, Trump visited a Thermo Fisher Scientific facility to tout his administration’s efforts to lower prescription drug prices. In Kentucky, he focused on housing affordability, highlighting a recent executive order aimed at banning large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes and directing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities to drive down interest rates.

“The war is very complete, pretty much,” Trump told CBS News in a phone interview between tour stops. “[Iran has] no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter. If you look, they have nothing left in a military sense.”

However, this “mission accomplished” rhetoric has been met with a more cautious tone from the Department of Defense. Even as the President spoke of wrapping up, the Pentagon posted a stark message on X: “We have Only Just Begun to Fight.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that Tuesday and Wednesday would see the “most intense” strikes yet, promising “no mercy” for a regime he described as “scrambling like the terrorist cowards they are.”

The Human and Geopolitical Toll

The conflict has not been without significant cost. Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI) reports that at least 1,245 civilians have been killed since the U.S.-Israeli campaign began on February 28. In Tehran, residents described Monday night as the “worst night of strikes” yet, with aerial bombardments hitting residential districts and fuel depots near major airports.

Politically, the Iranian regime appears to be in a state of chaotic transition. Following reports of injuries to the aging Supreme Leader, Tehran announced that Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has replaced his father. President Trump has dismissed the change, stating he has “no message” for the new leader and hinting that the U.S. has “someone else in mind” to eventually lead the country.

Regionally, the war has effectively fragmented Iran’s “Axis of Resistance.” Hezbollah and various Iraqi militias have seen their supply lines severed, though Qatari officials recently reported the arrest of an Iranian “sleeper cell” planning sabotage operations in early March.

Market Reaction and Future Outlook

Despite the military intensity, U.S. stock markets remained relatively steady on Wednesday. Investors appear to be buoyed by the IEA’s massive oil release and the President’s optimistic timeline for the war’s end. “Wrapping up is all in my mind, nobody else’s,” Trump told reporters, emphasizing his personal control over the conflict’s duration.

As the U.S. moves deeper into the second week of operations, the focus remains on whether the “Affordability Tour” can successfully insulate the domestic economy from the geopolitical storm. If the Strait of Hormuz remains contested or if the mining efforts prove more extensive than the President suggests, the 400 million barrels of emergency oil may only be a temporary shield against a much larger economic disruption.

For now, the White House continues to project a dual image: a decisive military commander-in-chief dismantling a regional adversary and a populist leader fighting “the high prices and inflation” inherited from the previous administration.

Sources Used


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