The U.S. is playing a deadly game of hide-and-seek with Iranian mines — Politico
The U.S. Navy has been tasked with urgently locating and neutralizing Iranian sea mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz.
This was reported by Politico.
The main goal of the operation is to prevent the paralysis of global oil trade and avert a deepening of the global energy crisis.
According to U.S. intelligence, some of the minefields have already been deployed, posing a direct threat to commercial shipping.
Iran’s stockpiles include thousands of mines of various types, and although a joint U.S.-Israeli campaign has partially depleted these resources, the arsenal remains substantial.
Any damage to a tanker could lead to a complete halt in fuel traffic through this strategic route.
Currently, more than ten U.S. warships are concentrated in the Persian Gulf region, and their number will exceed 20 in the near future.
The fleet’s primary mission, established by U.S. President Donald Trump, is to enforce a strict naval blockade of Iranian vessels.
At the same time, units are using helicopters, surface ships, and underwater drones to search for explosive devices underwater.
Additional forces are already heading to the mission area: the specialized ships USS Chief and USS Pioneer have departed from Singapore, and the Boxer amphibious group is moving across the Pacific Ocean.
Once all reinforcements arrive, there will be approximately 5,000 Marines at sea. Command has also deployed coastal vessels from Bahrain equipped with state-of-the-art mine countermeasure systems.
Experts compare the process of clearing the water to picking dandelions on a lawn, emphasizing the complexity and cyclical nature of this work.
“Searching for mines is like picking dandelions in your yard to create a path you can walk on without stepping on them,” noted retired Navy officer Stephen Wills.
The main problem is that areas that have already been cleared can be instantly mined again using small Iranian boats.
Admiral Brad Cooper, who heads U.S. Central Command, announced the start of developing a special safe route for the civilian sector.
“Today we began the process of creating a new passage, and soon we will share this safe route with the maritime industry,” the commander assured.
This should restore the free flow of trade, as most commercial operators are currently avoiding the strait due to the high level of danger.
Trump announced the “rapid opening” of the Strait of Hormuz
As a reminder, Iran seeks to receive payment for the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz exclusively in cryptocurrency, which allows it to circumvent international banking sanctions.
As a reminder, U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding that European allies present concrete plans within a few days to ensure the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Recall that U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, during which the parties plan to finalize a definitive agreement.
Iran has agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping for two weeks—for the duration of the ceasefire with the U.S. This agreement is part of broader negotiations on de-escalation in the region.
