Trump Says US Destroyed Iranian Boats After Reports of Mines Being Deployed in Strait of Hormuz

President Trump said on Tuesday that American forces had started destroying mine-laying boats and warned Iran to remove any mines it may have placed in the Strait of Hormuz or it would face consequences “at a level never seen before.”Mr. Trump made the warning in a series of Truth Social posts after reports that Iran had started mining the strait to continue to disrupt the key shipping lane and disrupt the global economy.Iran retains up to 90 percent of the smaller boats it can use to lay mines, CNN reported, citing unnamed American officials. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has previously warned that it could attack any ship in the strait.“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!” Mr. Trump said in the earlier Truth Social post. “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.”“If, on the other hand, they remove what may have been placed, it will be a giant step in the right direction!” Mr. Trump continued.In a follow up post about 10 minutes later Mr. Trump said, “I am pleased to report that within the last few hours, we have hit, and completely destroyed, 10 inactive mine laying boats and/or ships, with more to follow!”The Strait of Hormuz is a choke-point for Middle East oil shipments. About a fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes through the strait, but ship traffic has plunged since Iran threatened ships in response to joint Israeli-American attacks.Oil futures skyrocketed in the past week but prices have started to retreat quickly after several countries said they are considering tapping strategic oil reserves to feed the market and comments from Mr. Trump that the war could be wrapped up soon.The markets were also calmed after Mr. Trump said that the American Navy would escort tankers through the strait, if necessary, to get oil moving again.On Tuesday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright posted, but quickly deleted, a message on X that the American Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the strait “to ensure oil remains flowing to global markets.” Prices plunged further in the minutes after Mr. Wright’s post. Mr. Wright did not make a follow-up post.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later told reporters that the Navy has not escorted any tankers. “I was made aware of this post,” Ms. Leavitt said. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to the energy secretary about it directly.”

Trump Says US Destroyed Iranian Boats After Reports of Mines Being Deployed in Strait of Hormuz

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