WATCH: US Destroys 16 Iranian Mine-Laying Vessels as Hormuz Threat Grows

On day eleven of Operation Epic Fury, the US military struck and destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply moves daily. The Pentagon released unclassified footage of some of the strikes alongside the announcement.

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

President Trump stated there were no confirmed reports of mines already deployed in the channel, but intelligence assessments indicated Iran was preparing to do exactly that.

The Hormuz Threat

The strikes came after Trump warned Iran of consequences at a level never seen before if it deployed mines in the strait. Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser confirmed that tankers were already being rerouted to avoid the strait and warned that a prolonged blockage would have serious consequences for the global economy.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the US military was actively developing plans to keep the strait open to commercial traffic.

The Broader Campaign

Defense Secretary Hegseth described Tuesday as the most intense day of strikes in the operation and outlined the campaign’s stated objectives: destroying Iran’s missile stockpiles, launchers, and defense industrial base; dismantling Iran’s navy; and permanently denying Iran nuclear weapons. General Dan Caine confirmed that Iranian ballistic missile attacks had fallen 90 percent from their opening-day rate, with one-way drone attacks down 83 percent.

US forces had struck more than 5,000 targets since February 28. Seven American service members had been killed, eight suffered severe injuries, and approximately 140 had been wounded in total, with 108 already returned to duty.