By Alexander Ward and Dustin Volz
Iran has placed mines in the Strait of Hormuz over recent days, U.S. officials said, an escalation meant to shut down a vital economic throughway, leading President Trump to threaten a swift reprisal.
Iran laid fewer than 10 mines in the strait and it is unclear whether it intends to add more in the near term, the officials said. One official said it could be a political signal to the U.S. that Tehran can violently stifle the global economy.
After CNN earlier reported that Iran mined the shipping lane, Trump on Tuesday said Iran would be attacked "at a level never seen before" unless the mines were removed. U.S. Central Command shortly afterward said the U.S. had struck and destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels, releasing a 34-second video showing some of the attacks.
Iran's move is designed to disrupt the world's oil market and trading system, analysts said, judging that Trump will rethink the war he launched if oil and gas prices spike. The Pentagon has long had plans for how to respond to Iran closing off the strait, through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply passes, following Tehran's placement of mines in its nearby waters in the 1980s.
Trump said the U.S. Navy could escort tankers willing to sail through the strait if necessary. Iran has vowed to target the American vessels.
This item is part of a Wall Street Journal live coverage event. The full stream can be found by searching P/WSJL (WSJ Live Coverage).
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 10, 2026 22:56 ET (02:56 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
