Trump Threatens Iran With ‘Never Seen Before’ Attack If It Mines Strait of Hormuz

(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump threatened Iran with a major military strike if the country disrupts oil and cargo shipping by laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as CNN reported on Tuesday.

The president told Iran to think twice about it in a Truth Social post. Trump said his administration has no reports about mines being placed already, but if they have been, they need to be removed ASAP, or Iran will get pummeled.

He posted:

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! 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! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Trump followed that post up with another one that said he was “pleased to report that within the last few hours, we have hit, and completely destroyed, 10 inactive mine laying boats and/or ships, with more to follow!”

His warning followed CNN reporting Iran has started mining the Strait, according to two sources “familiar with U.S. intelligence reporting.”

Correspondent Natasha Bertrand reported, “The mining is not extensive yet, with a few dozen having been laid in recent days, the sources said. But Iran still retains upward of 80% to 90% of its small boats and mine layers, one of the sources said, so its forces could feasibly lay hundreds of mines in the waterway.”

Meanwhile, CBS News reported Iran “may be getting ready to deploy naval mines,” but that it had not happened yet. CBS News reported Iran has between 2,000 and 6,000 mines.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday that the U.S. has not started to escort oil tankers or other ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

The president’s threat — and the mining reports — come as oil prices have been on a rollercoaster ride since the start of Operation Epic Fury. The price for a barrel of oil surged to $116 on Monday but has since dropped to $86 by Tuesday afternoon; barrel prices are up about 28% since the day before Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed.

Trump on Monday said the war was “pretty much” complete and would be wrapping up “soon.”

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!