Trump Warns Iran Over Hormuz Mines, Claims U.S. Strikes on Mine-Laying Vessels

U.S. President Donald J. Trump warned Iran to remove any naval mines from the Strait of Hormuz and claimed U.S. forces have already struck vessels suspected of mine-laying activity after media reports claiming U.S. intelligence sees signs indicating Tehran may be preparing to deploy mines in the critical shipping lanes.

The potential development comes as maritime traffic through the critical chokepoint remains severely disrupted amid the escalating U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran and mounting attacks on commercial shipping in the region.

According to a report by CBS News citing U.S. officials, intelligence agencies have detected indications that Iran may be preparing to deploy naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes. CNN followed up with a report indicating Iran may already be placing mines in the critical waterway.

Shortly after the report surfaced, U.S. President Donald J. Trump warned Iran to remove any mines that may have been deployed in the strait and claimed U.S. forces had already struck vessels involved in potential mine-laying operations.

In posts on Truth Social Tuesday, Trump said that if Iran had placed mines in the strait they must be removed “IMMEDIATELY,” warning that failure to do so would result in military consequences “at a level never seen before.”

In a subsequent post, Trump said U.S. forces had already taken action. “Within the last few hours, we have hit, and completely destroyed, 10 inactive mine laying boats and/or ships, with more to follow,” Trump wrote.

The claims could not immediately be independently verified, and U.S. military officials had not publicly confirmed strikes on vessels involved in mine-laying operations as of Tuesday afternoon.

According to the CBS News report, intelligence assets have observed activity suggesting Iran could be positioning assets consistent with mine deployment, though officials say no mines have yet been confirmed in the water.

The warning aligns with the latest security advisory from the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), which notes the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters remain at a critical operational risk level for commercial shipping as military activity intensifies. The advisory highlights the continued threat from missiles, drones, and other hazards affecting vessels transiting the region. 

Naval mines are widely viewed as one of the most disruptive tools available to Iran in the narrow waterway. Even a limited number laid in the strait’s confined shipping lanes could halt commercial traffic and require extensive mine-countermeasure operations to reopen the passage.

In September 2025, the U.S. Navy retired its last Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships forward-deployed in Bahrain, ending more than three decades of dedicated minesweeping operations in the Persian Gulf. The Cold War-era, wooden-hulled vessels have been replaced by Independence-class littoral combat ships equipped with the Navy’s new mine countermeasures mission package.

The threat of sea mines from the conflict carries significant global implications. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, carrying roughly one-fifth of global oil and large volumes of liquefied natural gas. 

Security analysts say the mere possibility of mine warfare could be enough to deter shipowners from sending vessels through the area, particularly as insurers reassess risk and war-risk premiums surge.

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