Iran Blocks the Strait of Hormuz, Disrupting Global Energy Transport; U.S. Military Destroys 16 Minelaying Vessels | WPN World People News

According to a report by CNN on the 10th, Iran laid naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz—a key shipping route that carries about one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and natural gas supply—in retaliation for U.S. attacks. U.S. President Donald Trump also posted on social media warning Iran to remove the mines immediately or face unprecedented military consequences. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that U.S. forces carried out a preemptive strike and precisely destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz.

At present, the scale of the mining operation is not yet extensive, with only dozens of mines discovered so far. However, intelligence indicates that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has the capability to deploy hundreds of mines in the waterway at any time. Combined with armed speedboats and missiles, this could form a blockade in the strait, leading the area to be described as a “valley of death.” Iran has stated firmly that it will not allow any oil tankers that benefit the United States or its allies to pass through the strait. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded that the U.S. military will not allow terrorists to hijack this critical maritime passage. Military tensions between the two sides continue to escalate.

The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has already halted exports from oil-producing countries such as Iraq and Kuwait, and because there are no alternative routes, it has caused recent volatility in oil prices. G7 member countries are therefore discussing releasing strategic petroleum reserves to stabilize the market. Blocking the Strait of Hormuz remains primarily a tactic by Iran to confront the United States, attempting to pressure Washington into negotiations by impacting the entire world.