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Iran Mines Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Destroys 16 Vessels Amid Oil Crisis

Iran Mines Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Destroys 16 Vessels Amid Oil Crisis
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Iran has laid around a dozen naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. officials said this week, deepening a crisis that has already seen at least 14 merchant ships hit and pushed global oil prices more than 36% higher since late February axios +2. The United States says it has destroyed 16 Iranian mine‑laying vessels near the waterway, but shipping through the world’s most important oil chokepoint remains largely at a standstill foxnews +1.

The reported mining came as Iran vowed that “not one litre” of Gulf oil would leave the region if U.S.-Israeli strikes on its territory continued, and warned regional infrastructure could become a “legitimate target” if its own ports are hit cbsnews. Iran’s actions and rhetoric have turned the narrow strait, which normally carries about one‑fifth of global seaborne crude, into an active front line of the wider war cnbc +1.

How Serious Is the Mining Threat?

Two sources familiar with classified assessments said Iran had deployed “about a dozen” mines, while U.S. intelligence cited by CNN spoke of “a few dozen” laid in recent days, stressing that the mining was “not extensive yet” and that Iran retained most of its mine‑laying capacity axios +1. Even a limited number of mines, however, can effectively close a confined channel like Hormuz because clearance is slow and specialized, and ships and insurers typically avoid any route perceived as contaminated.

U.S. Central Command said American forces “eliminated” 16 Iranian mine‑laying vessels near the strait on March 10, releasing video of precision strikes on small boats foxnews +1. President Donald Trump warned that if Iran had placed mines and failed to remove them, “the military consequences will be at a level never seen before,” framing the mining as an unacceptable attempt to blockade an international waterway cnbc +1. Tehran, which has long signaled it would use mines as asymmetric leverage, has not publicly detailed how many devices it has deployed.

Oil Markets, Shipping and Seafarers Feel the Shock

Attacks and mine fears have effectively frozen normal traffic: major container lines have halted Hormuz transits, war‑risk insurers have tightened or withdrawn cover, and tens of tankers and bulk carriers remain anchored or diverted cnbc +1. The International Maritime Organization estimates about 20,000 seafarers are stranded on ships in the Gulf, unable to transit safely; its secretary‑general called the deaths of at least four crew in an earlier attack “unacceptable” and urged operators to avoid the area where possible wsj +1. Three more vessels, including the Thai‑flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree, were struck by projectiles on Wednesday, underscoring that merchant ships remain “in the firing line” cnn.

Oil prices have surged as traders price in a prolonged disruption to flows that normally total around 13 million barrels per day through Hormuz cnbc. Brent crude briefly topped $119 a barrel earlier in the week and has gained more than 36% since the war began on February 28 cnn. In an emergency move on March 11, the International Energy Agency’s 32 member states agreed to release a record 400 million barrels from strategic reserves, a volume that would cover only about 20 days of lost supply at current disruption levels cbc. Goldman Sachs on Thursday raised its fourth‑quarter 2026 Brent forecast to $71 a barrel from $66, citing a “longer disruption” scenario and warning that reserves cannot fully offset the chokepoint risk cnn +1.

The Bigger Picture

The emerging minefield in the Strait of Hormuz has turned a long‑feared scenario into a live test of how quickly the world can reroute energy flows and protect commercial shipping under fire. With attacks on merchant vessels mounting, seafarers stranded and emergency oil releases failing to push prices down decisively, pressure is growing on both Iran and Western governments to find a way to de‑escalate without conceding control over a waterway vital to global trade cnn +2.