'All at the bottom of the sea': US forces eliminate Iranian mine-laying fleet in Persian Gulf
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump said on Monday, March 16, that US forces had destroyed Iran’s fleet of mine-laying vessels during the ongoing conflict in the Persian Gulf.
Speaking during a White House press event tied to a Kennedy Center board gathering, the president said that the operation targeted ships used to deploy naval mines in shipping routes near the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump told reporters that US military operations had eliminated more than 30 vessels believed to be capable of laying naval mines.
“With more than 30 mine-laying ships destroyed, we hit, to the best of our knowledge, all of their mine-laying ships,” the president said during the briefing.
BREAKING: "We're hammering their capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz with more than 30 mine laying ships destroyed.... We've hit all 30 of their ships and destroyed them. They're all at the bottom of the sea." — President Trump pic.twitter.com/73XnvzOEFl
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 16, 2026
He said the strikes were aimed at reducing Iran’s ability to disrupt maritime commerce in the region.
Mine-laying ships destroyed in the Gulf
The president said the vessels targeted were used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to place naval mines in key shipping lanes in the Gulf.
According to Trump, the destruction of the vessels limited Tehran’s ability to threaten maritime traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
BREAKING: “Our powerful military campaign against the Iranian regime has continued in full force... They have been literally obliterated. The Air Force is gone. The Navy is gone... Other than that, they're doing quite well.” — President Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/01fiMXLnq7
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 16, 2026
Trump noted that Iran could theoretically attempt to deploy mines using other types of ships, but said that US forces had not observed such activity. He warned that attempts to disrupt international shipping routes could trigger additional military responses.
“They’re all at the bottom of the sea,” Trump said, referring to the vessels destroyed during the operations.
Iranian military labeled a 'paper tiger'
During the remarks, Trump also commented on the condition of Iran’s military forces after weeks of fighting. He said that recent US and allied strikes had significantly degraded Iranian naval and air capabilities.
BREAKING: “We strongly encourage the other nations to get involved with us and get involved quickly and with great enthusiasm.”
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 16, 2026
“This is a paper tiger we’re dealing with now. It wasn’t a paper tiger two weeks ago. It’s a paper tiger now.” - President Trump pic.twitter.com/XQrCkTMDHR
“This is a paper tiger we’re dealing with now,” Trump said. “It wasn’t a paper tiger two weeks ago. It’s a paper tiger now.”
The president added that the military campaign against Iran remains ongoing and that operations in the region are continuing.
Call for international cooperation
Trump also urged other nations to support efforts to secure maritime routes in the region. He said maintaining open shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf was critical for global trade and energy supply.
The president said the United States would welcome participation from international partners in protecting maritime traffic and maintaining stability in the region.
While describing the destruction of the mine-laying vessels as a significant development, Trump indicated that military operations connected to the conflict are continuing as the situation evolves.
