Trump threatens 'unprecedented' military response if Iran mines Strait of Hormuz
2026-03-10 - 23:12
President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran on Tuesday, threatening unprecedented military consequences if Tehran has placed mines in the Strait of Hormuz and fails to remove them. "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," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that removing the mines would be "a giant step in the right direction." Mine-laying reports The warning came after a CNN report that Iran has begun laying mines in the strait. Sources told the news outlet that only a few dozen had been placed so far, but Iran still had up to 90% of its small boats and mine-laying vessels intact, leaving it capable of deploying hundreds more. Trump noted that the US has "no reports of" Tehran putting out mines in the waterway, but his preemptive threat signals Washington's extreme sensitivity to any disruption of the critical energy chokepoint. Strategic waterway at risk The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints, with around 20 million barrels of oil passing through it daily—approximately 20% of global consumption. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had previously announced the closure of the strait to transit following the start of US-Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, pushing oil prices above $100 per barrel and raising fears of a prolonged global energy disruption. Conflict context The escalation in the Middle East has intensified since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people to date, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. At least eight US service members have been killed since the campaign began, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declaring Tuesday would be the "most intense day" of strikes. Iran has retaliated with approximately 3,095 missile and UAV attacks against seven Arab countries, according to data compiled in Ankara, while Gulf states continue to intercept incoming projectiles.