Unknown Locations and Quantities: Mine Clearance Remains Key to Reopening Strait of Hormuz

The removal of sea mines potentially laid by Iran is expected to be the biggest hurdle in reopening the Strait of Hormuz following the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran.

Detecting and clearing mines scattered across the sea surface and the seabed is a highly complex task, and it is reported that the exact number of mines laid in the Strait of Hormuz remains unknown.

The New York Times (NYT) reported on June 16 (local time) that the key to resuming shipping through the Strait of Hormuz lies in determining whether Iran has laid mines and how quickly they can be located and neutralized.

Previously, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the Strait of Hormuz would be opened and mine clearance operations would commence immediately upon the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the ceasefire, which is scheduled for June 19.

U.S. intelligence authorities estimated before the war that Iran possessed approximately 5,000 various mines capable of being deployed from just below the surface to the seabed.

However, it is not yet certain whether Iran actually laid mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

Even during the war, dozens of ships passed through the strait without striking any mines.

The U.S. Navy plans to deploy advanced drone-based equipment to scan the seabed and sea surface in search of potential mines hidden in the Strait of Hormuz.

Furthermore, to avoid the risk of mine explosions, the Navy intends to utilize Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) with steel hulls instead of older minesweepers with wooden or fiberglass hulls.

These warships will remain outside the suspected minefields while deploying helicopters and drones to locate the mines.

However, experts believe that clearing all the mines will require a significant amount of time and precise operations.

Scott Savitz, a senior engineer and professor at the RAND Corporation, explained to the NYT that "modern mines have evolved into sophisticated weapons that are much harder to detect and neutralize than the primitive mines of the past."

He also pointed out that mine clearance is an extremely difficult task, noting that "if there are seabed mines, they must be distinguished from reefs, debris in busy shipping lanes, and items that have been tossed overboard for decades or centuries."

President Trump is expected to call for support for post-ceasefire measures, including mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz, at the G7 summit in France.

Major European allies have already expressed their willingness to cooperate in the mine clearance operations.

Following the ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran, French President Emmanuel Macron stated on June 15 that France is prepared to dispatch mine-clearing vessels within days once the peace agreement is finalized.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also said that once the conflict ceases, a mine clearance support mission led by the U.K. and France will be launched in the Strait of Hormuz.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.