The U.S. military informed lawmakers that sweeping the Strait of Hormuz for explosives placed by Iran would be a lengthy process, potentially lasting half a year. The admission follows weeks of tension in the waterway, where U.S. Central Command had previously dismissed reports of naval mines as false, insisting that the primary transit lanes remained clear and safe for commercial shipping.
Tehran has continued to claim that vessels are striking mines after disabling their tracking systems to enter prohibited zones, with the Revolutionary Guard reporting that at least four oil tankers were damaged over a recent 24 hour period. While CENTCOM maintains that main routes are secure, the UK Maritime Trade Operations center issued a warning on Thursday regarding a vessel on fire in the strait’s southern corridor, noting that many attacked vessels in the region do not officially report incidents.