The US military had destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, following reports Tehran is mining the key waterway that has been virtually closed due to the West Asia war. "US forces eliminated multiple Iranian naval vessels, March 10, including 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz," the United States Central Command said in a post on X that included video footage of various boats being struck by projectiles and exploding.