Pentagon Tells Congress that Clearing Mines from the Strait of Hormuz Could Take Up to 6 Months

The Pentagon has told members of Congress that fully clearing the Strait of Hormuz of mines believed to have been laid by Iran could take as long as six months, according to a new report.

The Washington Post noted that defense officials delivered that assessment in a classified briefing, telling lawmakers that a full clearance effort likely would not begin until the current U.S.-Iran war ends.

Officials added that Iran may have deployed at least 20 mines using both boats and GPS-guided remote systems, a combination that complicates detection and removal.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, carrying roughly 20% of global oil flows. Disruption there has already rattled fuel markets and shipping routes. Fears of Iranian attacks have effectively shut the passage for most shippers, disrupting global energy markets and pushing up U.S. gasoline prices. The U.S. is also imposing a blockade on Iranian ships, largely bringing transit there to a standstill.

There have also been fresh warnings that the danger in the water is still not fully mapped. On April 17, a U.S. Navy advisory said the mine threat in parts of the Strait of Hormuz was “not fully understood” and that ships should consider avoiding the area. The six-month estimate is also increasing pressure on allies to coordinate. Reuters reported that military planners from more than 30 countries were set to meet in London this week to develop a mission to reopen the strait and safeguard maritime traffic.

British Defence Minister John Healey said, “The task, today and tomorrow, is to translate the diplomatic consensus into a joint plan to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Strait and support a lasting ceasefire,” adding that he was “confident” real progress could be made.

In the meantime, traffic is mostly inexistent. NBC News noted that, after Iranian attacks on three ships in the waterway, only one Greek bulk carrier made the journey through the waterway in the past 12 hours.

The U.S. has also been boarding tankers, with officials saying they carried out a “maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding.”

“We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” the Defense Department said in a social media post.