US military destroys 16 Iranian mine-laying ships in Strait of Hormuz

The US military has now destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels close to a major sea passage used to export oil.

‘US forces eliminated multiple Iranian naval vessels, March 10, including 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz,’ the US Central Command announced on X, with an accompanying video showing some of the strikes.

The Strait of Hormuz is the only sea passage between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Stunning photos show US aircraft being mobilised as it continues to ramp up strikes on Iran.

They come after the American military confirmed it has now destroyed 16 Iranian minelaying vessels close to a major sea passage used to export oil.

Saudi Arabia has intercepted six ballistic missiles targeting Prince Sultan Air Base, a military complex in the east of the country, its Defence Ministry has claimed.

It added that it has also intercepted several drones today, the source of which has not been revealed.

More than 43,000 American citizens have fled the Middle East since the war started just over a week ago, according to US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

He added that 30,000 of these had been helped back to the US through a specially-created task force.

Two dozen charter flights have evacuated Americans from the region, although many have been just 40 per cent full due to people opting for commercial airlines.

A second chartered flight organised by the UK government has headed from Dubai.

The plane follows a similar one which landed in Britain earlier on Tuesday.

It comes after three chartered aircraft took British nationals from Oman, the third of which landed on Monday.

The IDF has detected missiles headed over Israel in the last few moments.

Sirens have been ringing out in central Israel and the Jerusalem area as Iran launches its latest volley of weapons.

Northern Israel is also bracing itself for an attack.

A shocking intelligence report that was blocked by the White House warns that Iran could launch waves of terrorist attacks on US soil including assassinations, bombings and stabbings, because of the President’s new war, a leaked copy exclusively obtained by the Daily Mail shows.

The FBI, Homeland Security and the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) were preparing to put out the joint statement last week to state and local authorities alerting them of a heightened threat from Iran, detailing potential methods of attack and encouraging vigilance.

The White House blocked the report from being issued to law enforcement nationwide on Friday after Homeland Security officials flagged the report to them. The move infuriated members of the intelligence community who argued that these bulletins typically are issued without input from the White House to avoid politicizing intel communications.

‘They were concerned about the optics of sending anything out,’ said a senior DHS official of the White House decision to put a hold on the report, which was primarily authored by the FBI.

‘They got their asses handed to them,’ the official added of the resulting backlash.

In the last few minutes, the Israeli military has confirmed it has commenced a fresh series of strikes on Beirut, Lebanon.

The attack is targeting infrastructure that belongs to Iran-backed Hezbollah in the south of the capital, according to Israeli armed forces.

The G7 leaders will hold a video conference on Wednesday to discuss the economic impacts of the war in the Middle East, particularly the ‘energy situation’, French president Emmanuel Macron announced.

‘This will be the first discussion on these issue between G7 members. Economic coordination is a key issue for an effective and useful response to the situation,’ the Elysee said. The meeting will start at 2pm (UK time).

President Emmanuel Macron will chair the meeting, as France holds the G7 presidency this year.

The G7 (Group of Seven) includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK and USA, alongside the EU.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to chair the meeting

The UAE government has said its air defence systems are ‘currently responding to a missile threat’.

A statement from the country’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority said there are ‘incoming missile and drone threats from Iran.’

In an update on X, it asked the public to remain in a safe location and to follow official channels for warnings and updates.

The Iranian parliamentary speaker has insisted the Middle Eastern country is not entertaining the idea of a ceasefire amid increased US and Israeli strikes.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former top commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, said: ‘Certainly we aren’t seeking a ceasefire.

‘We believe the aggressor must be punished and taught a lesson that will deter them from attacking Iran again.’