United States Central Command announced that American forces have “eliminated” 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, dramatically escalating what US officials are now calling “Operation Epic Fury” as Iran simultaneously launched retaliatory strikes across the region.

US Central Command released footage overnight showing multiple Iranian naval vessels exploding after being struck by projectiles.

The military statement confirmed the destroyed ships were specifically targeted for mine-laying capabilities near one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.

“The targets eliminated on Tuesday included 16 mine-layers near the Strait of Hormuz,” Central Command said in its statement accompanying the footage.

This action follows President Donald Trump’s explicit warning to Tehran against maritime aggression.

Speaking earlier this week, Trump cautioned Iran not to “put out any mines” in the strategic waterway through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil passes.

General Dan Caine, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed during a Pentagon briefing Monday that destroying Iran’s navy represents one of the three core objectives of Operation Epic Fury.

Military officials have not disclosed the other two objectives.

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it has launched what state media describes as the “most devastating and heaviest operation” since hostilities began.

According to a statement from the Revolutionary Guard shared by the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), a state media outlet, the “massive launch” targeted the US Fifth Fleet in the region.

The statement claimed that “the operational infrastructure of the US army was destroyed” in the coordinated attacks.

The Iranian strikes targeted US bases across the Middle East, including Al Udeid in Qatar, Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, and Harir in Iraq, according to the Revolutionary Guard statement posted on X.

Regional officials report intercepting additional Iranian missiles.

Authorities in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait confirmed they had successfully intercepted more projectiles, though details about the specific targets remain limited.

Amid the military exchanges, two commercial vessels sustained damage from “unknown projectiles” in the Strait of Hormuz area.

Maritime security sources have not identified the origin of the projectiles or the extent of damage to the ships.

Simultaneously, Israel launched renewed attacks on Iran and Lebanon.

The Israeli military confirmed it is targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut’s southern suburbs, where a fireball was seen rising from an airstrike site.

The multi-front escalation has drawn international concern as civilian populations brace for continued hostilities.

Earlier, Iran’s police chief issued a stark warning to potential domestic protesters, saying any Iranians thinking of demonstrating against the government would be dealt with “in the same way we deal with the enemy.”

US officials have not yet commented on the Iranian claims of destroyed American military infrastructure.

Central Command’s statement focused exclusively on the successful elimination of Iranian mine-laying capabilities in the strategic waterway.