US: 140+ Iranian naval vessels destroyed in 3 weeks, including ~50 mine layers — 'largest navy elimination since WWII'

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt disclosed on March 25 that US forces have destroyed more than 140 Iranian naval vessels in approximately three weeks of Operation Epic Fury. Leavitt's statement: 'We have destroyed more than 140 naval vessels, including almost 50 mine layers.' She described the operation as 'the largest elimination of a navy over a three-week period since World War II.' The 140+ figure represents a substantial portion of Iran's naval order of battle, particularly the mine-laying fleet. The destruction of nearly 50 mine-laying vessels is strategically critical: Iran had threatened to mine the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf surrounding key islands if US forces appeared to be landing troops. Eliminating 50 of Iran's mine layers significantly degrades that threat vector. Iran's remaining naval capability includes Qader shore-based anti-ship missiles (used against USS Abraham Lincoln), submarines (now with their R&D facility destroyed at Isfahan), and armed speedboats. The IRGC naval drone units that participated in the Lincoln attack and the F-18 claim remain a threat. The 140+ vessels figure covers US Navy operations across the Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman, and coastal areas. This is the most comprehensive disclosure of Operation Epic Fury's naval campaign results to date.