U.S. intelligence has found evidence Iran may be preparing to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz by laying mines throughout the waterway, according to CBS News. Iran may reportedly use smaller crafts that can carry two to three mines each, according to U.S. intelligence sources, as first reported by CBS.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday: “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!”
The president added: “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!”
The comment comes less than a day after Trump threatened Iran with further military action should it interfere with the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil chokepoint.
“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” the president posted on Truth Social.
The report follows remarks from Trump about the potential end of the war in Iran and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, Trump said the U.S. is “thinking about taking it over.” He added the war could be over soon, unless Iran did anything to disrupt the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
CBS reported that while Iran’s mine stock isn’t publicly known, estimates project the country holds roughly 2,000 to 6,000 naval mines.
Why the Strait of Hormuz matters: 20% of global oil supply
An average of 20 million barrels of oil a day flow through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, or the equivalent of about 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption. In addition, about one-fifth of global liquefied gas trade also passes through the strait.
The strait is critical not only to the U.S., but to China, too. About half of the country’s oil imports must traverse the strait, with about 90% of Iran’s oil supply ending up in China. But much of it often goes through third countries to evade sanctions. Other Asian countries, including India, South Korea, and Japan, also receive oil that travels through the strait.
While oil prices had fallen Tuesday to about $78 per barrel, prices rose back to $86 by Tuesday afternoon. Oil prices briefly shot to their highest since 2022 a day after the hardline Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen as the successor to his late father, Ali Khamenei, as Iran’s supreme leader.