US Navy Conducted Secret Mine-Clearing Operation in Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. Navy has been conducting a covert operation to neutralize hundreds of mines laid by Iran in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by the Financial Times. The operation, described as one of the most dangerous in military operations, involved four months of nighttime sorties by combat divers and underwater robots, with no American casualties.
Iran claims to have mined international and Omani waters in the strait following a U.S. and Israeli strike on Iranian territory in February. By June, approximately 80 mines had appeared in the waterway, according to the International Maritime Organization.
A specialized U.S. Navy unit, comprising divers, robotic boats, and underwater vehicles, worked almost nightly to locate and disarm the mines. The process involved using robotic vessels with sonar to scan the seabed, followed by combat divers in inflatable boats who would attach explosive charges to the mines and detonate them in place. Retired U.S. Navy Captain Bill Hamblet suggested that the floating base USS Miguel Keith might have been involved, along with underwater robots like the British SeaFox or American AN/ASQ-235 Archerfish for mine destruction.
Despite the U.S. military's announcement that all mines in international waters have been cleared or destroyed, shipowners remain skeptical about the complete safety of the entire waterway, though they consider the southern part near Oman to be secure. Iran denies the U.S. account, with Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stating that only Iran knows the exact locations of the mines. The U.S. Navy's Maritime Information Center continued to warn of the risk of encountering undetected mines even after President Trump's declaration.
Iranian media has reported two tanker explosions due to mines, and Iran's military claimed on Thursday to have deployed new mines off the coast of Oman. However, no international maritime body has officially confirmed these incidents, with the only officially recorded mine detection in the strait since the conflict's start being a Pakistani hydrographer's report in May. On August 30, U.S. forces struck Iranian missile launchers reportedly preparing to deploy mines into the strait. Hamblet noted that these mines weigh around 50 kg, significantly less than standard 500-1000 kg naval mines, making them less effective in deep water.
