U.S. intelligence has detected indications that Iran is taking steps to deploy naval mines in the Strait
By Bernie,
U.S. intelligence has detected indications that Iran is taking steps to deploy naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane, CBS News reports. Iran is using small craft capable of carrying two to three mines each to lay the devices in the critical waterway through which approximately one-fifth of global oil supplies transit.
While Iran's exact mine stockpile is not publicly known, estimates over the years have ranged from roughly 2,000 to 6,000 naval mines of Iranian, Chinese, and Russian-made variants. Even a limited mining operation in the Strait could pose a severe threat to commercial shipping and further disrupt global energy markets already reeling from the conflict. The intelligence comes as Pakistan and India move to deploy warships to escort their commercial vessels through the region, and as Trump warned of intensified strikes if Iran disrupted oil flows through the waterway.
Topics: Iran, Strait of Hormuz
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