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Mines, tolls and US strike on Iran: Shipping through Strait of Hormuz remains complicated Traffic is nearing pre-war highs, but mines, rival routes and a fresh US strike on Iran show how fragile the ceasefire still is.

Why Iran's 'drifting' mines in the Strait of Hormuz will be so ... While the United States and Israel continue to pound Iran with relentless airstrikes for a third week, opening the Strait of Hormuz has become an increasingly intractable problem. Hundreds of ships are trapped in the Gulf after Iran claimed complete control over the strait . Within days of war being declared, Iran had laid mines in the 24-mile-wide sea passage, which typically serves as a key waterway for around a quarter of the world’s liquefied natural gas and seaborne oil trade. Iran’s chokehold on the strait , the only maritime route out of the Gulf, has sent shockwaves through global oil costs, as prices remain just under $110 (£83) a barrel as a result of the blockade. Experts have told The Independent that the president was “naive” for discounting the possibility of Iran blockading the Strait when launching his war. open image in gallery The Strait of Hormuz is a 24-mile-wide sea passage that typically serves as a key waterway for around a quarter of the world’s liquefied natural gas and seaborne oil trade ( PA Graphics ) A former British naval minehunting captain said countermeasures for getting rid of the …

Strait of Hormuz mine clearing could take up to 50 days Ensuring the Strait of Hormuz is safe from mines could delay a return to normal shipping traffic by weeks following a deal to reopen the waterway, shipping and maritime security sources say. The operation by conventional minesweepers and state-of-the-art underwater drones could continue for 40 to 50 days before many insurance, shipping or oil companies are confident enough to sail through, according to assessments from five Western maritime security sources. That could potentially hold up tens of millions of barrels of oil, in addition to the oil supply from the Persian Gulf already blocked since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, according to estimates based on pre-war flows. Every export barrel from the gulf is crucial given stockpiles in the world's largest economies are headed toward their lowest levels since at least 2003, according to analysis last week by the US Energy Information Administration. Even though Iran and the US quietly helped ships pass through the blockaded waterway in recent weeks, shipping officials continued to urge caution after the US and Iran said on Sunday they had reach…

Clearing mines from Strait of Hormuz could take weeks, sources say Open this photo in gallery: A small motorboat passes anchored vessels in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran on Thursday. Amirhosein Khorgooi/The Associated Press Share Save for later Please log in to bookmark this story. Log In Create Free Account Ensuring the Strait of Hormuz is safe from mines could delay a return to normal shipping traffic by weeks following a deal to reopen the waterway, shipping and maritime security sources say. The operation by conventional minesweepers and state-of-the-art underwater drones could continue for 40 to 50 days before many insurance, shipping or oil companies are confident enough to sail through, according to assessments from five Western maritime security sources. That could potentially hold up tens of millions of barrels of oil, in addition to the oil supply from the Gulf already blocked since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, according to estimates based on pre-war flows. Every export barrel from the Gulf is crucial given stockpiles in the world’s largest economies are headed toward their lowest levels since at least 2003, according to analysis l…

Mines in the Strait of Hormuz: How Dangerous Are They? Mines in the Strait of Hormuz: How Dangerous Are They? Reporter DW (Deutsche Welle) April 20, 2026 | 02:55 pm Share Article link copied TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - On Friday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said his country was prepared to supply mine clearance and maritime reconnaissance to help secure the Strait of Hormuz . "We could provide mine-clearance vessels — we are good at that," Merz said, adding that a "sound legal basis" would be needed for such an intervention. His announcement followed consultations with fellow European leaders on a potential multinational mission to secure the strait after the war. The same day, Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi declared the critical waterway "completely open" for the duration of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, and US President Donald Trump likewise said it was "ready for full passage." The following day, Iran reversed its decision, shutting the strait again. Either way, maritime traffic might still be at risk, given that Iranian authorities had previously indicated there may be underwater mines in the strait. Experts aren't so sure. "We aren't even certain that there are mines [in the…

US says it's clearing Iranian mines in effort to open the Strait of ... The sun rises behind tankers anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Qeshm Island, Iran, Saturday, April 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Asghar Besharati) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to members of the media during a press briefing with Adm. Brad Cooper, center, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, right, at the Pentagon, Thursday, April 16, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf) WASHINGTON (AP) —President Donald Trumpsays the U.S. Navyis clearing Iranian minesfrom theStrait of Hormuz, avital sea routefor oil shipments whose disruption is increasingly threatening the global economy. Sweeping for underwater explosives could take months despite atenuous ceasefirebetween the United States and Iran in theweekslong war, experts say. Any future claims that the U.S. cleared the waterway where20% of the world’s oiltypically passes might fail to convince commercial freighters and their insurers that it is finally safe. “You don’t even have to have lain mines — you just have to make people believe that you’ve laid mines,” said Emma Salisbury, a scholar at the Foreign Policy Research In…

Mines in the Strait of Hormuz: How dangerous are they? Iran says it has placed mines in the Straight of Hormuz to discourage independent traffic. How dangerous are naval mines, and what can be done to clear them?

How Iran's Naval Mines Work - The New York Times Some float on the surface. Some rest on the seafloor. All could further complicate efforts to restart shipping in the Persian Gulf. Drifting mine Floating on or just below the sea surface Limpet mine Moored mine Attached to a ship’s hull Anchored to the seabed Sitting on the seabed Bottom mine Drifting mine Limpet mine Floating on or just below the sea surface Attached to a ship’s hull Moored mine Anchored to the seabed Sitting on the seabed Bottom mine Drifting mine Limpet mine Floating on or just below the sea surface Moored mine Attached to a ship’s hull Anchored to the seabed Sitting on the seabed Bottom mine Drifting mine Limpet mine Floating on or just below the sea surface Moored mine Attached to a ship’s hull Anchored to the seabed Sitting on the seabed Bottom mine Note: Not to scale. Sources: CAT-UXO, Rand Iran has strangled one of the world’s most critical shipping routes, the Strait of Hormuz, by threatening merchant ships and attacking tankers. But Iran also has more than 5,000 naval mines in its arsenal, according to estimates by the Defense Intelligence Agency. And Iran is beginning to deploy them , U.S. officials said…

Iran's Strait of Hormuz blockade: Why the US finds it difficult to free ... Iranian anti-ship missiles, drone boats, mines pose a massive threat to ships here In the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's strategy is simple: choke off this incredibly narrow passage. It's a massive bottleneck. Over the last 40+ years, the Islamic Republic Guard Corps (IRGC) has built, developed and refined its area-denial strategy over this chokepoint. Giant oil tankers are squeezed into just two tight shipping lanes — one for ships going in; one for ships coming out. Also In This Package 5,000-lb bombs hit Hormuz missile sites: What's next Iran war: Will your internet slow soon? About 90 ships cross the Strait of Hormuz despite war Trump fumes at Nato over lack of support on Hormuz The IRGC uses geography to their advatantage: they control three major islands positioned right along these corridors. Then, hidden deep inside them is a menacing network of underground bunkers, swarm boats and anti-ship missiles that pose a clear and present danger to international shipping here. While the IRGC doesn't use ships, small boats launch 360° swarm attacks. The strategy is to target the bridges of larger ships…

Scouring the Strait of Hormuz for mines could take weeks Scouring the Strait of Hormuz for mines could take weeks Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Published Jun 15, 2026, 06:49 PM Updated Jun 15, 2026, 07:30 PM Listen LONDON, June 15 - Ensuring the Strait of Hormuz is safe from mines could delay a return to normal shipping traffic by weeks following a deal to reopen the waterway, shipping and maritime security sources say. The operation by conventional minesweepers and state-of-the-art underwater drones could continue for 40 to 50 days before many insurance, shipping or oil companies are confident enough to sail through, according to assessments from five Western maritime security sources. That could potentially hold up tens of millions of barrels of oil, in addition to the oil supply from the Gulf already blocked since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, according to estimates based on pre-war flows. Every export barrel from the Gulf is crucial given stockpiles in the world's largest economies are headed toward their lowest levels since at least 2003, according to analysis last week by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Eve…

Strait of Hormuz Mine Threat Looms - Naval News Home»Strait of Hormuz Mine Threat Looms The Strait of Hormuz has become the focal point of a dangerous escalation as reports of Iranian mine-laying operations emerge, prompting the United States to respond with precision strikes against Iranian naval assets, particularly minelayers. On March 10, U.S. CENTCOM announced the destruction of 16 Iranian minelayers and multiple warships. The Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical maritime chokepoint for global energy supplies, has become the epicentre of a major international crisis. In 2024, approximately 20 million barrels per day of total petroleum liquids passed through the Strait—equivalent to about 20% of global consumption and over a quarter of all seaborne oil trade. Furthermore, the Strait is a critical corridor for liquefied natural gas (LNG), with roughly one-fifth of the world’s supply, primarily from Qatar, transiting the waterway. In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Iran claimed over the weekend it has initiated offensive mine warfare operations in the strategic waterway, prompting a swift and forceful military response from the United States. On March 10, U.S. C…

Scouring the Strait of Hormuz for mines could take weeks <p>By Jonathan Saul</p><p>LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - Ensuring the Strait of Hormuz is safe from mines could delay a return to normal shipping traffic by weeks following a deal to reopen the waterway, shipping and maritime security sources say.</p><p>The operation by conventional minesweepers and state-of-the-art underwater drones could continue for 40 to 50 days before many insurance, shipping or oil companies are confident enough to sail through, according to assessments from five Western maritime security sources.</p>

Why is the Strait of Hormuz so important? How Iranian attacks on ships ... Leer en Español Three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz have been attacked after the US destroyed more than a dozen mine-laying vessels near the major shipping route. More than 20 crew members were rescued and three remain missing after a Thai cargo ship, the Mayuree Naree, was targeted by “projectiles” and set ablaze as it sailed through the waterway on Wednesday. It brings the total number of attacked vessels in the strait to 13, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operation. President Donald Trump had warned Iran not to lay mines in the passageway on Tuesday as Iranian armed forces continued to block the vital trade route, threatening shipping and causing oil prices to surge . “If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday. open image in gallery The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s major shipping routes ( AP ) The Strait of Hormuz is a waterway in the Persian Gulf through which around a fifth of the world’s oil passes. The Islamic Revolutionary…

Hormuz Strait tensions: How navies detect and clear marine mines Navies race to clear mines as Hormuz Strait tensions threaten global trade With the US racing to unblock the Strait of Hormuz and stabilise soaring oil prices, a report emerged that Iran has sown an "estimated 10 mines"in the vital chokepoint, where 20% of global oil exports pass through. TheWall Street Journalreported the deployment of marine mines, citing "intelligence community sources". Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, quoted by state TV, has declared that the"leverage" of closing the Strait of Hormuzshould be "used". The US, meanwhile, has confirmed the presence of Iranian mines in the narrow passage. Also In This Package Video: Iranian ships destroyed in Strait of Hormuz Strait of Hormuz: Why reopening it is a big challenge Iran-US tensions: Hunter aircraft circles Hormuz Strait Strait of Hormuz: Why Iran war threatens oil flow Deployed stealthily, often by frogmen from small boats masquerading as fishing vessels, these weapons evade detection, rendering clearance operations challenging. Hormuz Strait is a narrow waterway between the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, making it the m…

Mines, Blockades, and Coercion: Iran's Strategy in the Strait of Hormuz Authors :Sayantan Haldar|Tuneer Mukherjee Iran's selective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, enforced through naval mines, gunboat patrols, and calculated ambiguity, exposes the limits of the rules-based maritime order in the face of deliberate geopolitical coercion The Strait of Hormuz currently sits at the heart of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which began with the launch of air campaigns by the US and Israel against Iran. Tehran'sstrategic decisionto partially close the Strait in response aims to pressure the US and its partners involved in the conflict to stand down, and has brought to the fore several dimensions of maritime security that continue to shape the war's trajectory. As part of this effort to partially close the Strait, Iran has effectively blocked most vessel movement through the maritime corridor, withthe exceptionof ships from a handful of countries that Tehran deems friendly. Tehran's reported use of naval mines is central to operationalising this selective blockade. The deployment of mines by Iran underscores their enduring value as a strategic tool to deny access to the Strai…

Iran's Hormuz Card: Mine Warfare and the Timeline of Control Home Insights Analysis Iran’s Hormuz Card: Mine Warfare and the Timeline of Control Iran’s Hormuz Card: Mine Warfare and the Timeline of Control By Cengiz Karakaş February 23, 2026 0 3921 Share Linkedin Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Email Print Shows current ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. (Source: Marine Vessel Traffic, HORMUZ STRAIT Ship Traffic Tracker). – Listen to Analysis Key Points: Even limited mining can effectively halt passage. Iran can make narrow channels risky within hours. The first safe corridor could open within days. The return of commercial confidence typically takes weeks. The coalition manages risk through escort and maritime security. Strategic Context The Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and through which approximately 20% of global oil trade passes, is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints. In recent years, growing concerns over Iran’s nuclear capabilities, perceived as an explicit threat by Israel and the US, instability in Iranian domestic politics, and the US deployment of significant military forces to the region, including aircraft carriers, h…

Can Iran Close the Strait of Hormuz? (And How Exactly Do You Close the ... Share As tensions rise following U.S. and Israeli strikes across the Middle East, attention has shifted to a narrow stretch of water most Americans rarely think about: the Strait of Hormuz. With gas prices climbing and shipping disrupted, the corridor has become the center of a high-stakes geopolitical and legal question. Can Iran legally close it? And perhaps more puzzling, how does a country even close a body of water? What Is the Strait of Hormuz? The Strait of Hormuz is a slim maritime corridor between Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south. It connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and, in practical terms, to global markets. At its narrowest point, the strait is just 21 nautical miles wide. That means every tanker passing through must travel within the territorial waters of either Iran or Oman. There is no alternate sea route. Roughly 20 million barrels of oil flow through the strait each day. That’s equivalent to just under Americans’ daily usage and accounts for about one-fifth of global supply. Around 20 percent of the world’s liquefied natural gas also moves thro…

Iran's Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz: Strategic Implications and ... Quiet move, global shock: Iran’s invisible mines turn Hormuz into a controlled chokepoint Nobody knows how many naval mines were deployed by Iran in the Hormuz Strait. One estimate puts the number to "at least a dozen naval mines, possibly fewer" placed at specific points IRGC elements know in the narrow waterway that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil. What we know so far: US media reports, including CBS News and CNN, say Iran has deployed at least a dozen naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz as of March 23, 2026. These mines — identified by open-source intelligence sources asMaham-3andMaham-7— are modern, sensor-equipped weapons capable of targeting commercial vessels, including oil tankers. TheMaham-3is a moored mine using magnetic and acoustic sensors, while theMaham-7is a seabed “limpet-style” mine designed to evade sonar detection. Both are equipped with sophisticated triggers that allow them to detect and detonate near passing ships with precision—making them highly effective despite their small number. Open-source intelligence assessments suggest these mines are deployed infixe…