United States military forces have sunk multiple Iranian ships off the Strait of Hormuz.
The sunken vessels included 16 minelayers, with Washington claiming that Iran was laying explosives in the Strait, which serves as a critical shipping lane.
On social media, President Donald Trump said that any ships placing mines in the Strait would be “dealt with quickly and violently”.
“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 wrote on Truth Social.
“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.”
Shortly after this series of posts, the U.S. military's Central Command warned civilians against using ports along the Strait of Hormuz being used by Iranians, and that they had "eliminated" 16 minelayers.
"We will not allow terrorists to hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage," said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
