CENTCOM says it sunk Iranian minelayers after Iran began laying mines in Hormuz

U.S. Central Command said on Oct. 10 that it had sunk 16 Iranian minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz and destroyed several Iranian naval vessels, after Iran began laying mines in the strategic waterway that channels vast amounts of global oil shipments. The command released footage it described as showing the aftermath of the strikes on Iranian ships.

CENTCOM said Iran had begun laying sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which about a fifth of global oil passes. The assertion underscored the vulnerability of Gulf shipping lanes and the risk to energy markets if mine-laying escalates.

In a post on Truth Social, then-President Donald Trump urged Iran to remove any mines immediately, warning that failure to do so would invite “unprecedented” military responses. He said removing the mines would be a constructive step.

That same day, the region saw multiple attacks in and around the Hormuz area. A Thai-flagged cargo ship was damaged after an attack by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and four merchant ships were attacked in the broader area, an episode described by Reuters as the most intense in the day’s flare-up across the Middle East.

U.S. military officials also signaled a broader campaign against Iranian targets tied to mining capabilities, saying they targeted not only ships but also mine-storage facilities as part of an escalatory push centered on deterring Iran’s naval mine program.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards later said they had launched a large-scale missile attack against Israeli and U.S. assets in the region, signaling a potential broadening of the conflict beyond naval skirmishes in the Gulf.

For U.S. readers, the episodes matter because they threaten global energy stability and the security of critical supply chains. Disruptions to Hormuz-linked shipping raise oil prices, insurance costs, and risk premiums for markets worldwide, while drawing attention to U.S. defense commitments and alliance dynamics in the Middle East, including support for Gulf partners and the ongoing U.S.-Israel strategic posture in a volatile region.