Iran Lost Track of Mines Blocking Strait of Hormuz

Iran cannot fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to normal shipping traffic because it has lost track of numerous naval mines it deployed there last month, according to U.S. officials. The waterway, a vital chokepoint for about 20 percent of the world's oil shipments, remains restricted to limited, controlled passages, complicating a fragile ceasefire between Iran, the United States, and Israel.

The mines were laid using small boats by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shortly after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes began on February 28 amid escalating tensions over Iran's nuclear program. U.S. officials described the deployment as haphazard, with many mines placed without precise records and others allowed to drift from their intended positions due to currents and tides. Iran possesses an estimated 2,000 to 6,000 such munitions, some equipped with warheads over 1,100 pounds, capable of damaging or sinking large vessels. As a result, Iranian authorities lack the situational awareness and specialized equipment needed for rapid clearance, turning a wartime tactic into a self-imposed obstacle.

The strait has operated under tight restrictions since the mining, with the Revolutionary...