Trump doesn’t rule out troops in Iran as Tehran lays mines in Strait of Hormuz; says US targeted Iranian mine-laying vessels

US President Donald Trump has not ruled out deploying US troops in the escalating conflict with Iran, as per White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday (March 10), Leavitt emphasised that the administration is keeping all military options on the table. “As for boots on the ground, the president has talked about this repeatedly. Wisely, he does not rule options out as commander in chief. So again, I would hesitate to confirm anything that a Democrat on Capitol Hill says right now about the president’s thinking,” Leavitt told reporters.

Her statement appeared to respond to comments from Democratic senators, including Richard Blumenthal, who spoke about the possibility of US troops being deployed. “We seem to be on a path toward deploying American troops on the ground in Iran to accomplish any of the potential objectives here,” Blumenthal said after a briefing on Iran.

Also Read: Here's how many US troops have been injured in Iran war. Pentagon reveals toll

Iran begins laying mines in Strait of Hormuz: Reports

Meanwhile, US intelligence indicates that Iran has begun laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor through which about one-fifth of the world’s crude oil supply passes. According to two sources familiar with the intelligence reporting, the mining activity remains limited so far, with only a few dozen mines placed in recent days. However, one of the sources noted that Iran still retains about 80% to 90% of its small boats and mine-laying vessels, meaning it could deploy hundreds of mines if the situation escalates.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which effectively controls the strait alongside Iran’s traditional navy, has the capability to deploy a “gauntlet” of mine-laying craft, explosive boats and shore-based missile systems. The IRGC had previously warned that any ship passing through the strait would be targeted. Since the start of the conflict, the waterway has effectively been closed.

Officials have described the strait’s current condition as a “death valley” due to the dangers associated with navigation.

US officials said on Tuesday that the US Navy has not escorted any vessels through the strait so far. However, Donald Trump said on Monday that his administration is considering options to escort ships through the strategic passage.

US targeted Iranian mine-laying vessels: Trump

Donald Trump said the US military had “completely destroyed” 10 inactive Iranian mine-laying vessels following reports of possible Iranian activity in the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on social media, Trump added that there would be “more to follow,” indicating that the United States could target additional mine-laying ships. The announcement came shortly after two earlier social media posts from the president. In those messages, he said he had no reports confirming that Iran had placed explosive mines in the strategic waterway, but warned Tehran that if such mines were deployed, they should be removed immediately.

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