Pentagon Reports No Clear Evidence of New Iranian Mining

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine stated Friday at the Pentagon that while the U.S. has intelligence on Iranian discussions about placing new mines in the Strait of Hormuz, there is no clear evidence of such actions. This update comes as U.S. forces continue operations against Iran, with approximately 6,000 targets struck by the U.S. military since February 28, and over 15,000 combined U.S. and Israeli strikes.

U.S. military efforts are focused on destroying Iran's ballistic missile capabilities and naval assets, including mining capabilities, to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open for commercial shipping. Despite these actions, Iranian assaults persist, contributing to oil prices exceeding $100 per barrel and declining stock prices. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Thursday a temporary loosening of sanctions on Russia to allow the sale of Russian oil already at sea, aiming to mitigate rising global oil prices.

Separately, a U.S. military refueling tanker crashed in western Iraq, resulting in the deaths of all six crew members. The incident, which occurred during a combat mission over friendly territory, is under investigation and was not attributed to hostile or friendly fire. Hegseth also noted that Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is believed to be wounded, despite a recent statement attributed to him via Iranian state media.